


Sector SA

by Gamewizard2008



Series: Kids Next Door Gameverse [24]
Category: Assassination Classroom, Codename: Kids Next Door, Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic, Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, Toaru Majutsu no Index | A Certain Magical Index
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-15
Updated: 2018-02-25
Packaged: 2018-09-02 21:26:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 26,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8683942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gamewizard2008/pseuds/Gamewizard2008
Summary: The 4th Crossover Sector story, a filler in the Big Mom Saga. Nagisa Shiota, Index, Morgiana, and Goombella are members of Kids Next Door Sector SA, and are fairly new to the organization. This story explores the members' lives and their friendships.NOTE: This story is mostly optional for the Big Mom Saga, but it contains relevant plot material for the Newborn Saga.





	1. Hair Cut Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The members of Sector SA are introduced as they stop Candy Bandits in a desert.

**Time to take a small break from _Seven Lights_ and properly introduce a new crossover sector. I don’t think I’ll update this story too often, unless I’m motivated. (With all the stories I wanna write, I’m finding it hard to balance between. XP) So with that, here’s an introduction to Sector SA.**

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Chapter 1: Hair Cut Day

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**Sugar Deserts**

_What’s up? We’re Sector SA. Never heard of us? That’s only fair, we’re pretty new. Here, I’ll introduce ya._

A band of 10 thieves were marching out of a cave lodged within a small gorge, carrying large sacks. “This should be enough to impress those blasted pirates.” The leader of the thieves, Al Sugarh stated. “After all, it all goes to their captain, right?”

“Big Mom is a picky eater, I hear.” one of the thieves said. “Maybe we should ask one of her crewmates—” A person dropped from the sky and stomped him, then proceeded to kick the thief behind her. She was a girl in a white robe and wrapped mask, exposing only her magenta eyes, arms, and legs.

_That’s Morgiana, Numbuh Chapter. She’s our Kickboxing Specialist. I thought she was an earthbender at first, but no. When those legs come for you, better cover yourself._

Three thieves raised candy swords and charged at her, but Morgiana swiftly and forcefully kicked them away. There were four thieves hidden above the gorge, ready to shoot her with sniper rifles. “HIYAH, HIYAH!” A pink mushroom with a long blonde ponytail and archaeologist helmet bounced on one’s head using her own, bounced to the next, then made a stylish leap over the gorge to hit the next two.

_That’s Goombella, Numbuh Mark. She’s a Goomba from a place in Oregon called Roguetown. A real fan of a hero called Sandman, not to mention a major bookworm. She kinda takes pride from being the only Goomba to not die from being stomped on the head._

Goombella bounced on the ground below, doing a twirl. “I bonked rocks that are harder than you! Index, light ’em up!”

“AAAH!” The thieves screamed when a blinding white light consumed them. When it faded the sacks were gone from their hands. “Where did it all go?!”

“I got them all!” A 9-year-old girl with white hair, green eyes, and wearing a white and gold nun’s habit threw the last sack into a pile.

_This is Numbuh Index. She won’t give us her real name, so we call her Index. Apparently, she’s a nun-in-training from the Church of England. Pretty cool, I say. She’s also a lightbender, and a really heavy eater._

“WAH!” Al Sugarh grabbed Index and pulled her back, holding a Candycane Cutlass to her neck.

“You dirty Kids Next Door don’t know when to leave adults to their work!” Sugarh yelled as Index struggled. “Stay your ground or I’ll make the girl spill Kool-Aid!”

_“Kool-Aid, huh? Sounds delicious.”_

Sugarh gasped—another girl got him from behind and swiped the sword, tipping it to his neck. She had long, sky-blue hair, same-colored eyes, and had a blue T-shirt with black jeans. “What?! Where did you come from?!”

“I wonder what your blood tastes like?” she said darkly. “Sugar, maybe?”

“Y-You’re bluffing!”

The girl tipped the blade closer. “Try me.”

_That’s me: I’m the leader. Nagisa Shiota. And no, I’m not a girl. I’m a boy. Can’t tell you how many times I corrected people._

“HAOMP!” Index bit Sugarh’s arm.

“OUCH!” The thief yelped and released her, and Morgiana seized the chance to launch forth and stamp his face with red feet. Goombella was bouncing between the remaining thieves like a rock-hard ball, landing when they all fell defeated. “I think we got them!”

“Good job, team!” Nagisa fist-pumped. “Now, what were these bandits taking?”

Index opened one of the sacks, and looked confused. “A bunch of little pebbles?”

“Pebbles?” Goombella jumped on the pile of green, purple, and blue rocks. She sniffed them and scooped some up in her mouth. “These aren’t pebbles.” She mumbled through chews. “They’re Fruity Pebbles! An ancient type of rock candy!”

“CANDY?!” Index beamed with delight, grabbing handfuls of pebbles and throwing them in her mouth. “So delicious, I can’t believe it!”

“Index, don’t!” Nagisa grabbed her arm. “We have to take these to Moonbase and report to Cheren. Load the ship. Hm?” He noticed Morgiana was about to grab one, but stopped on his order. “…Okay, Morg, you can have a couple.”

The Arab girl took off her turban mask and shook her magenta hair free. “Thanks.” She ate a purple and blue one.

_We’re a pretty small sector—only four members instead of the usual five. We joined Kids Next Door in November last year, now it was February. As you can expect, we’re not very popular. But hey, check out our ship! It’s a S.C.A.M.P.E.R. III._

Sector SA’s ship was shaped like a round triangle. The cockpit was in the front while a narrow corridor cut through the middle. It had boys’ and girls’ restrooms and a refrigerator. The sacks of candy were hanging by a giant net.

_The scientists don’t often hand an advanced model ship to new sectors, but that was before Index challenged them for it. She had five seconds to look at a screen with 54 digits. Then they turned it off and asked her to name the fifth number in the sixth row. The answer: 2. She guessed it like it was engraved in her memory, and the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. III was ours!_

_Okay, you’re all probably wondering, why choose Sector SA? None of us but Morg are even_ from _Saudi Arabia. Of all the hundreds of sectors, why choose one in a scorching hot desert? Well, we had a couple of reasons. For one thing, we bonded in Arctic Training and wanted to be our own team. The treehouse was unoccupied, and Goombella and Index for one wanted to get to know the culture. Then of course there’s Morgiana. She-_

“Nagisa, what the heck are you whispering about?” Goombella asked as they walked through Moonbase.

“Oh!” He blushed. “Uh, I’m just thinking out loud. Heh heh.”

“You wanna be a television narrator when you grow up?” The Goomba smirked. “Maybe they’ll let you announce on the Super Friends.”

“That is what we are, right? Ha ha ha!” The team laughed.

_I really love the Kids Next Door. It may seem like something out of a fairytale, but it’s a happy place where kids are allowed to be who they are. We have benders like Index, non-humans like Goombella, but no matter who we are or where we come from, we’re all good friends. And you wouldn’t believe what kind of people we got here. One week in the Kids Next Door, we became involved in a war, where our Supreme Leader totally blew our minds._

“We didn’t have a chance to interrogate the thieves before we left.” Nagisa explained to Cheren Uno. “So we don’t know if the thieves were planning anything with the candy.”

“Hmm…” Cheren took notes. “Well, if the Psychic Sensors detected them regardless, they had to be up to something. Well done, Sector SA, I’ll have the pebbles brought to the Candy Vault. But if I could make a suggestion… you four need a haircut.”

It was then they remembered their unkempt hairdos. “I guess we do…” Nagisa blushed. “Well, we promised Aeincha we’d come to her if we needed one. Let’s give her what she wants.”

“I have to wonder what she did with our hair from last time.” Goombella remarked.

**Sector W7 Treehouse**

“WAAAAAAAHHH!” Aeincha’s little eyes glittered like stars. “Sector SA is back! The sector of colorful hair wants me to cut it again! Morgiana, and her sweet magenta goodness!” She climbed Morg’s body and hugged her hair. Morg showed a hint of oddness on her expressionless face.

“Index, with hair so silvery shiny.” Index lay on her back as Aeincha danced with some strands. “God was kind when He chose this color.”

“Goombella, sweet Goombella.” Aeincha wrapped herself in the Goomba’s ponytail and rolled. “A natural blonde, grown naturally on a Goomba. I am honored to behold such a rare sight.”

“And Nagisa. Oh, Nagisa.” Aeincha was lain down atop Nagisa’s hair. “Your hair blue as the sky. When I lay on it, I feel like I’m floating.”

“We’re glad to see you too, Aeincha. Do you remember how we had it last time?”

“Of course I do! Alright, who’s first?”

_In late November, we signed Morg up for a Girls’ Boxing Tournament. When it was over, we met Sector W7 and became friends. Morg bonded with Aisa and Index with Apis. Aeincha adored our hair and wanted to cut it, so we let her. I was skeptical at first, but despite her size, she did an excellent job._

Once Aeincha finished the other three, she worked on Nagisa’s hair. She cut some off and smoothed the long hair out. “You aren’t still mad about me calling you a girl, are you?”

“Not at all.” He smiled politely.

“That’s good…” Aein blushed. She still remembered that day.

_“Oh my GOSH, I love your hair most of all! You are a beautiful girl with beautiful eyes and beautiful hair, just like your friends! You would win all the beauty pageants and your husbands will be the luckiest people alive, you ladies are just that beautiful!”_

Aeincha pulled Nagisa’s hair up and tied it in two spiky braids at the top. His hair was still long in the front, and it was the softest of his teammates. “There. But if you don’t want people getting confused, why not cut it shorter?”

“I’m fine with it like this.”

“Okay then. ’Shame I don’t get to keep more of it.” Aeincha hugged the hair. “It would make the most beautiful nest.”

“Now you’re starting to creep me out.”

“Sorry. Well, thanks for dropping by, you four! I hope to see you soon!”

“You know it!” Goombella winked.

**Sector SA Treehouse**

_One of the best parts about having a treehouse in a scorching hot desert was having a rooftop swimming pool. It really cools you down after a hard day of work. I didn’t want to mess up my hair, yet, so I laid back and caught some rays. I was always more into hot weather than cool weather, and so do my teammates. I guess that’s another reason we picked this sector._

“Huuuff!” Index and Goombella resurfaced from the pool, with the former holding her friend with her hands. Index was wearing a purple one-piece and looked much slimmer without her habit, and Goombella had a red one-piece on her stem. “How long was that?” Goombella asked.

“Three minutes, 30 seconds, 57 milliseconds, in which you swam one-and-a-half laps.” Index counted. “You wanna take a break now?”

“No, I can do another lap!”

“Come on, Goombella, take a break.” Nagisa told her. He was laying on a stretch chair, wearing blue trunks and sunglasses. “I watched you dive three times, you’re gonna run out of breath.”

“And besides, all this swimming is making me hungry.” Index followed.

“Fine, I’ll rest. I still made a good distance with small lungs.”

_Goombella had a drive to rise higher than was the norm of her own race. She wanted to fight, she wanted to swim, she wanted to be strong. One of a Goomba’s biggest weaknesses is the fact they have no arms, but most of the time, that doesn’t bother Goombella. Her inspiration was Sandman in that case, who was partly crippled in the legs._

Morgiana sat on the opposite end from Nagisa, soaking her feet in the pool and wearing a two-piece white swimsuit. She couldn’t help but gaze at her leader. He looked different without his shirt on. In a good way. He had a slim physique and a nice smooth chest. The sunglasses went with his cool and confident demeanor. …Morgiana blushed.

_Morgiana wasn’t one with words. She’s quick on her feet, but slow to speak. But she’s reliable in a pinch and she gives it her all. She’s just a little shy. She claims to be from a tribe called Fanalis, who are naturally skilled in the martial art, Red-Foot Style. I can’t say if she’s credible or not ’cause I’ve never heard of a race like that._

While Index was sitting on the corner and eating a banana, she gazed at her reflection in the water. Paying close attention to the way she wobbled and rippled.

_Aside from being a lightbender and having an endless stomach, Index has a photographic memory. A Perfect Memory, she calls it. She says she can remember every inch of everything she sees, the shape of every droplet, the length of every hair strand… If I had a memory like that, my head would explode._

_And as for me… well, what can I say? I’m the Sector Leader, so my teammates rely on me. It’s worked out so far, but I’m not sure how my teammates feel about me. They think it’s weird that I narrate my life, which… I guess makes sense. I know there are plenty of operatives who’ve gone on way more exciting adventures than we have, and some who have much more experience. But I love Kids Next Door, and I’ll do my best to keep the trust and respect of my teammates._

_…Still, if they knew what I was like back home, they probably couldn’t look at me the same._

 

**This story will basically follow the formula of “one chapter for each member,” although this one didn’t focus on anyone… excluding Nagisa’s narration. XP To recap, Nagisa is from _Assassination Classroom_ , Index’s from _Certain Magical Index_ , Goombella’s from _Paper Mario: Thousand-Year Door_ , and Morgiana’s from _Magi_. Next time will be Nagisa’s official chapter.**


	2. Mother’s Doll

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nagisa returns home to his controlling mother. He recalls his tense relationship with her.

**Well, since most of you seem to like them, let’s continue this story! This chapter focuses on our leader, Nagisa. (Warning, it might get a little… sensitive.)**

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Chapter 2: Mother’s Doll

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**Sector SA**

“Index, come on, I need your help up on the tower!” Nagisa said as his avatar raced up some winding stairs.

“I’m stuck in a hole, come and help me!” Index shouted.

“You need to do a Tornado Jump. Hurry up, I don’t wanna face Chris and George on my own.”

 _Hey! Glad you’re back. It’s currently sunset, so we’re playing a videogame before we have to go home._ Kid Icarus: Godrising _for the Wii U II. Being a boy, I’m the only one in the sector that likes games, even if Index agrees to play. Even though I’m the leader, I feel out of place with my team sometimes. I wonder if they would do better with a girl leader. I could’ve joined Sector JP—there’s only one boy in that sector, but I didn’t feel right leaving these guys._

“Nagisa, when you’re finished talking to yourself, George is attacking you!” Goombella shouted. Nagisa refocused on the game when George’s avatar shot him with Orbitars.

“It looks like Chris is sniping from the top of the tower!” Index yelled. “He has some kind of exploding flame gun!”

“I’m having trouble sniping George at the moment!” Nagisa tried to shoot his opponent, who kept evasively dodging. “It’s like he’s predicting my every move!”

Suddenly, Chris’s avatar dropped down and crushed George. Index’s avatar fell in and laid a merciless beating on both players. _Dark Pit has appeared!_

“WOW! Index, how did you-?” Nagisa turned—Morgiana was holding the controller.

“I used the Rocket Jump to attack him.” she said. “Read it in the guidebook.”

“…” Nagisa was struck speechless. “You’re awesome!” Morg blushed.

_Told ya: Morgiana was reliable in a pinch. She was strong and fast, Goombella was smart and witty, and Index kept our spirits bright. And reminded us things. They were really inspiring to me, and I don’t think I could be a good leader without their support._

_…The worst part is when it’s time to go home._

“I’ll see you guys tomorrow!” Goombella bounced toward a small pod in the hangar. “I’ll try and get my homework done early. Like always.” She winked.

“Take care of the treehouse, Morgi!” Index waved, boarding her own ship.

“We’re going to the gym tomorrow, right?” Morg asked.

“Yep, like I promised.” Nagisa nodded. “See you tomorrow, guys.”

_Not everyone in KND was a master pilot, which was an issue when sector mates lived so far away. Thankfully, 4x4 craft are programmed for autopilot transport. Avoids any obstacles, defends against enemies, so we can kick back and relax as we fly home. …The last few moments of peace in my night._

Nagisa’s ship landed in a dark alleyway in a neighborhood in Tokyo, Japan. He lived on the 5th floor of an apartment building and had a key to his house. Before entering, he unraveled his hair and let it hang long. Inside, he could smell food and hear a pot boiling in the kitchen. His mother was cooking. She was a thin and kind-looking woman with short dark navy hair and eyes.

“You’re late again, Nagisa.” Hiromi Shiota said. “You really need to keep track of time when you’re playing with friends.”

“I’m sorry, Mom.” Nagisa frowned, putting his backpack in a corner.

“Hmm, but what do I know? I didn’t have friends growing up. You’re real lucky, you know that?”

“I know.” Nagisa smiled.

“You’re still doing well in school, aren’t you?”

“Of course I am, Mom.”

“Finished your homework?”

“Um… Most of it. I’ll finish it before I go to sleep tonight.”

“Nagisa… a young lady knows to finish her work before goofing off. You don’t want those boys outshining you.”

“…I am a boy, Mom.”

“That doesn’t mean you have to act like one. That reminds me, I bought you a new dress. It would look much prettier than those gym clothes!”

_Yep. This is my mom. She’s like any mother: she wants what’s best for her child. In her opinion, at least. The thing is… my mom wanted a girl. She didn’t have a good childhood growing up. She thought she could relive her childhood through me. But I’m a boy that likes boy things. That’s how it’s always been… no matter how much Mom dressed me up._

After dinner, Nagisa was given an indigo dress as dark as the night. It went with the paint on his toenails, and his mother was in the process of painting his fingers that color. “Did your friends do your hair? That must’ve been fun.” Hiromi smiled.

“Yes, they did.”

“You’ll have to introduce me sometime. I would like to join your activities.”

“I think our games are too intense for you.” Nagisa chuckled.

“Nonsense, what games could you possibly get into?”

“How’s fighting up a tower?”

“WHAT?!” Hiromi screamed. “You get in FIGHTS?!”

“N-Not real fights! It was just a… videogame.”

“VIDEOGAME?! Nagisa, a young lady shouldn’t rot her brain with such nonsense! You’ll ruin your eyesight, and you won’t be winning any pageants wearing goofy glasses.”

“Mom, I couldn’t enter a pageant, anyway.”

“Yes, yes, but the day will come when gender boundaries will be meaningless, especially when they see a pretty young child like you. Nagisa, you need to find yourself some friends who like dolls or ponies, because no ‘game girl’ will look out for your best interests. If I find out you play videogames or anything of the sort, I’ll forbid you from associating with those people, understand?”

“I understand, Mom.”

_She combs my hair, she dresses me up, she paints my nails… like I was her little doll. Whenever I was in this house, I felt small and in her control. I’m not the only operative that feels this way. According to stories I heard on KNN, several operatives became victims of shrinking scenarios. I can imagine myself in such a downgraded, humiliating position. Those same operatives became their mother’s toys. If that actually happened to me… I would just kill myself._

_In the past, the Kids Next Door’s parents were dimwitted adults, oblivious to the existence of treehouses and a free child-run organization. But 20 years ago, there was a huge decrease in the amount of decommissions. All the legendary operatives back then got to keep their memories and pass their teachings to their kids. Operatives like Cheren Uno, Sheila Frantic, Dillon York – the children of great operatives who learned from their parents’ examples and had a drive to be great. My mom wasn’t like that. She didn’t inspire me. She wasn’t inspiring at all._

_…I hated her._

**Kindergarten; five years ago**

“LOOK!” A girl pointed. “That boy looks like a girl!”

Everyone pointed and laughed at Nagisa, wearing a pretty pink dress and sandals. He always sat in the back so no one could look at him. He stayed out of all the class activities. The kids called him gay. The teachers say, “Nagisa, I won’t tell you how to live your life, but you’re disrupting the class.”

 _You might as well,_ thought Nagisa, _because she sure does._

“Mom, I’m sick of wearing dresses!” Nagisa argued. “And I can’t run in these sandals! Why can’t I wear boy clothes?”

“How DARE you!!” Mother stomped her foot, standing over her son with strict authority. Nagisa shuddered in fear. “Questioning the choices I made for you… Nagisa, do you ever wonder why girls are more smart and successful than boys? Because they do what their mother says and mother knows best. If other boys could grow up like well-behaved girls, there would be no more war. And besides, look at the beautiful dresses I buy you, the dolls you get to play with. I didn’t have those growing up. Nagisa, you couldn’t ask for a better life.”

“Y-You’re right, Mom… I’m sorry.”

“That’s a good boy.” She patted his head. “Do you have homework to do? Finish it up and tonight, we’ll watch your favorite show: Pretty Cure!”

_No more war? Bitch, a Nature Goddess—a girl mind you, started a war against humanity four months ago. UGH, how I wanted to rub it in her face! But I couldn’t. I was afraid to stand up to her. She insisted I wear these clothes everywhere I go. Since my father left, she’s done all the housework, got a job to pay bills… all so her son could live happily. Would you be able to argue? If your parent puts a roof over your head, the least you can do is dress however they want you to dress. I was lucky to have a home, even if I couldn’t have friends. I was also lucky she let me watch TV. True, she limited my interests to magical girl anime, but whenever she wasn’t home, I switched to other things: superpowered humans, horror-mysteries, assassins… That stuff was WAY cooler._

_One day at school, my classmates and I found mysterious invitations in our desks: they came from the Kids Next Door. If we were interested in joining, we just had to write our name and slip it in the school’s mailbox. (Don’t worry, the teachers won’t know until it’s too late.) I heard about the Kids Next Door, and I wondered if that was the getaway I needed. I got the courage to sign up._

**Arctic Base**

“Hey, check out that guy.” one of the male cadets whispered, pointing at Nagisa. He wore a blue fluffy coat with a sun design, black pants, pink boots, and flower earmuffs. “Is he a boy or a girl?”

“I wanna ask, but that’d look weird.” his friend whispered.

“Maybe he’s a homo.” a girl whispered.

“’Know what, I’m gonna see.” A tough boy with blonde hair approached Nagisa. He tapped the Asian’s shoulder, tempting Nagisa to turn. Immediately, the boy punched his crotch, forcing Nagisa to grab it and slump. “Yep, it’s a boy!”

“Oh, dude!” The others laughed.

Anger coursed through Nagisa. What was he thinking signing up for this? The KND had benders, non-humans, even a gay sector… but the people were still the same. He hated them and he hated his mother. He would’ve turned and walked out the door.

“Hey.” Someone tapped the bully’s shoulder. He turned to face a magenta-haired girl, bare feet exposed to the ice. She swung her foot and kicked the boy’s crotch so hard, his voice grew high-pitched. “OOOOOOOOoooooo _oooooo….!”_

“Now you’re a girl.” Morgiana said coldly. “Isn’t that funny?” She walked around and approached Nagisa. “Are you okay?”

_I never felt more grateful to anyone. Someone stood up for me… and I felt the pain disappear._

“Y-Yeah.” Nagisa stood up fully. “Thanks. Hey… aren’t your feet cold?”

“A little. But I don’t like shoes. I’m Morgiana.”

“Nagisa…”

“So, do you like wearing that?”

“I just… thought it was comfy.”

_I met Goombella and Index shortly after. The first friends I had in years and I didn’t wanna leave them. I never told them the situation with my mother, but it didn’t matter. I used my allowance to buy my own clothes. Cutting my hair was a different story, though. And every day, I looked forward to when I can leave home and go on missions. In the Kids Next Door, I’m not a doll. I’m free to be who I am: a boy._

**Present time; KND Moonbase**

“Give up, Jinta!” Ruby and Jinta Hanakari were pushing opposite ends of a giant rubber ball, trying to crush the other. “You know your arms are too puny to smash me!”

“Don’t forget who kicked your butt in the boxing tournament!” Jinta argued.

The match was at a stalemate for several minutes. Sapphire approached Jinta and said, “Jinta, Sector SA will be coming shortly. Please do not call Nagisa-”

“Butt out, Psy-Eye. Hnnnnn-RRR!” Jinta gave a forceful push and managed to crush Ruby. “HA HA! Crushed you again.” It was then he noticed Sector SA enter the gymnasium. “Oh, look who else is here.” Jinta smirked at Morgiana. “You here for a rematch, Morgana?”

“Morgiana.” she corrected. “You wouldn’t last five seconds against these legs.”

“Alright, what about the rest of you? You look pretty tough.” He pointed at Nagisa. “You up for a little Red vs. Blue, Girly?”

“I’m a boy.” Nagisa said with disbelief. He wore a white T-shirt and black shorts with no shoes.

“You are? Boy, you’re skinny.” Jinta skimmed his body. “You a homo or something?”

“Uuh!” Ruby pushed the ball off and recovered. “He can probably kick YOUR butt, Jinta.”

“No thanks.” Nagisa declined. “We just wanted to train amongst ourselves.” He and Morgiana stood on a mat and faced each other. “Okay, Morg, make me stronger.” He raised his hands.

Morgiana nodded. “Don’t break any bones.” She began to throw punches that Nagisa blocked with hand thrusts, and when she kicked, he was quick to dodge her feet. Nagisa maneuvered around her while evading her attacks.

 _Look for an opening, then attack._ Nagisa ducked a high spin-kick, and when her leg came back, Nagisa grabbed it in both arms. Morgiana simply spun again, unbothered by his weight as she threw him against a punching bag. Nagisa stood, and when Morgiana came, he dodged when she kicked her leg and sent the punching bag to slam Ruby against the wall. While her leg was still stretched, Nagisa dropped and swung a kick at her other leg, but it withstood, and Morg grabbed Nagisa’s leg, hauled him overhead and slammed him on the mat.

Morgiana pinned him down with one foot on his back. “You leave yourself open.”

“So do you.” Nagisa glanced up and smirked. “Nice panties.”

Morgiana flushed—the weight on her foot softened, so Nagisa escaped, jumped up, and tackled her to the floor. “Look for an opponent’s weakness, soften them up, and take them down.” he said with a smirk.

Goombella was climbing a pole using her feet, holding it in her mouth for a better grip. _I hope this was cleaned._ she thought. Once at the top, Goombella kicked off and bit a hanging ring in her teeth, flipped as she swung to the next, and repeated going across them. She ended up stuck through one hoop as she was faced down. “Oh, get a room, you two.” she said to Nagisa and Morg.

_Ooo-oaa-ooo-oo-oooaaaa…_

_Ooo-oaa-ooo-oo-oooaaaa…_

Index and Sapphire were standing on a stack of mats and singing. Their notes were soft and heartwarming, and Index’s body emitted a small light. Everybody focused attention on them, touched by the song. There were no lyrics, so it seemed like an exercise in vocals. Neither of them were heavy combatants, but mental exercises like this were still healthy. The song ended after two minutes.

“ _Wheeeeww._ Not baaaad, ladies!” They turned to the entrance as Hibiki Lates of Sector KB walked in, wearing a white T-shirt and blue shorts. “Sing a duet with me sometime. Preferably a love song.”

“Hibiki?” Jinta raised a brow. “Aren’t you supposed to be gay?”

“I can be bisexual. Alright, so who wants to train with me?” He grinned at the gym-goers. He focused on Nagisa and approached him. “What about you, beautiful? I bet you fight like a pro. And dance like one, too. You up for a classic ballroom dance, Princess?”

“I’M A BOY!” Nagisa outbursted. “B-O-Y, BOY! I have BALLS, you wanna see them?!” He dropped his shorts.

He immediately froze from utter embarrassment. They all were gaping at him, shocked or atrociously. “Ahem.” Now standing in the entrance was the Supreme Leader and his assistant, Panini. “You wanna see me in my office, Numbuh Period?”

 _“PFFT, heheh!”_ Jinta held in a snicker. The others glared at him. “…I know. Not the best time.”

**Office**

“Nagisa, I’m up for trash-talk as much as the next kid, but you went a little too… far.” Cheren said. Nagisa had his head bowed as he sat in the opposite chair, blushing. He felt like he was in the principal’s office for getting in a fight that wasn’t his fault. “Is there something bothering you?”

“I just got a little peeved.”

“I know a thing or two about that. But talking helps, you know. That’s what my mom always says.”

He saw Nagisa’s eyes furrow, and his hands clench his knees. “I have issues with my mom, okay?”

“What kind?”

“Just… all kinds. She’s the reason I look like a girl, and I still get teased for it. I’m not allowed to be myself when I’m home. I usually don’t mind if someone calls me a girl by accident, but it got a little annoying today.”

“Have you tried talking to her?”

“A few times… It hasn’t worked out. But it’s really no big deal. I know I got carried away today, but it won’t happen again. Promise.”

“I believe you. But you know, sometimes the only way to get past your Dark Side is to confront it. Otherwise… it might haunt you.”

“Yeah…” Nagisa stood. “I’ll remember that. Can I go now?”

“You can.” Cheren smiled lightly. He watched as the operative left. “Sigh… I wish I knew how to confront mine.” Cheren mumbled to himself.

When Nagisa left, he found his teammates waiting for him. “You, um… You feeling okay?” Goombella asked.

“I’m sorry you guys had to see that.”

“You better be!” Index yelled. “I was going to do another song with Sapphire!”

“Sigh… I don’t feel like training, anymore. Let’s go home.” He walked past them.

“Nagisa, we overheard.” Morgiana told him as they followed. “Is there someway we can help?”

“Guys, it’s not your concern. I’m happy enough being your leader. I’ll-” His cellphone rang. Nagisa stopped and pulled it out, seeing it was from Mom. His teammates kept their distance as he answered. “Hi, Mom.”

_“Nagisa, where are you? Are you at your friends’ house?”_

“Uh, yeah. We’re just doing a little homework. Do you need me to come home?”

_“Yes, actually. I have something important to show you. But just for a little bit, you can go back to your friends’ house later. I’ll pick you up if you want!”_

“That’s okay, Mom! I can use the walk. Gotta keep my figure, right?”

 _“Oh, I suppose. Don’t sprain your leg, sweetie! See you when you get here.”_ She hung up.

“She didn’t sound that mean.” Goombella said.

“We all have our masks.” Nagisa said before going ahead.

**Shiota Home**

Nagisa returned and hung his backpack up. “There you are, my little Nagi!” His mother greeted him with a hug. “I think you’re gonna love what I have planned for you.” She led him to the table and showed him an open laptop. “The hospital is allowing sex-change operations for children 11 and up!”

“W…What?” Nagisa skimmed the screen.

“I think this will finally put a stop to all that teasing you’ve been getting! You won’t have to wear those dirty boy clothes, you can be who you are, and we’ll finally have the mother/daughter experience we’ve been missing! It’ll be the perfect birthday present for you.”

_“. . . . . . A sex change?”_

“Huh?” She noticed her daughter- I mean, son’s trembling.

 _“… … I am not getting_ A FUCKING SEX CHANGE!” Nagisa grabbed the computer and threw it against the wall. “I WILL NOT! I’m not a girl, I’M A BOY, and I’m SICK of living like this! You don’t fucking tell me WHAT TO DO!” He smacked his mother and knocked her down.

Nagisa stood over her with his hand still raised, his eyes filled with rage. When he realized their position, his anger was awash in guilt. He bowed his head as his mother stood up. _“How dare you…”_ Hiromi grabbed Nagisa’s shoulders and shook him. “You ungrateful little CHILD, after everything I do for you, THIS is how you thank me?! I try my darnest to keep you away from violence and that filthy stuff boys like, and you’ve gone and soiled yourself! It’s those friends of yours, isn’t it?! They’re setting bad examples for you, letting you play videogames and teaching you to go against your mother!”

“DON’T TALK ABOUT my friends that way!” Nagisa shook away. “They’re a better family than you’ve ever been, and we play WAY better games!”

“THEN WHY DON’T YOU JUST LIVE WITH THEM?!” Hiromi grabbed him by the neck and threw him out the door. “I wanted to raise a good and kind-hearted girl, not a rebellious little pirate! We’ll see how long you last without me and how much your friends give a damn about you!” She threw his backpack at him and slammed the door.

“Sigh… Well, that went perfectly.” He put the backpack on. “Now that I think about it, this feels heavier.”

“HOO, that underwater training pays off.” Goombella popped out of the pack.

“Goombella?! You followed me home?!”

“Yeah, sorry. Curiosity peaks this intellectual’s ego. That was… some performance there.”

“Can you believe that woman?” Nagisa asked as he walked down the apartment walkways. “I thought she didn’t accept me before, but… that was crossing the line. I can’t live with her, anymore. Morgiana stays at the treehouse, so why not I?”

“Because Morgiana doesn’t go to school or has parents who pay their tuition. And I doubt an Arabian school would be a good fit for you.”

“I can go to _your_ school.”

“Ha ha ha, you would stand out like a Goomba with thumbs. I think your mom just needs time to cool down. Before you know it, she’ll call you and want you home.”

“Yeah, right. If she calls, I’m not going to answer.”

**Sector SA**

_I went to my room to lie down after we got back. I felt ashamed to face my teammates at the moment. They saw my weakness today. They saw my shame. I don’t think I’m worthy to be leader, anymore. Morgiana’s always been stronger than me. I should give the title to her-_

“OW!” Nagisa was bit in the shoulder by Index.

“You’re narrating to yourself again!”

“Yeah, dude, you really need to talk to us more.” Goombella said. “I see where you get this habit.”

“Guys, I’m sorry I never told you about this. But it was _my_ problem that I had to deal with. So I did.”

“I don’t think the problem is over.” Morgiana replied. “The wall between you and your mother still stands.”

“Maybe that’s how it should be.”

“If that’s how you feel, then why aren’t you happy to be away from her?”

“That’s not why I’m unhappy. You three are ashamed of me, aren’t you?”

“Nagisa, I’m flattered that you think I would be capable… but you’re a better leader than I am. You’ve always known the best strategy, and you have faith in us. I may be stronger than you, but I only push myself to be stronger because… you inspire me. You don’t have to be ashamed of your weakness. Everyone has problems.”

“…Thanks, Morg.” Nagisa sat up and faced them. “I really don’t know what to do. Even despite everything, Mom’s always taken care of me. I appreciate her for it. But how do I get her to let me be who I am?”

“…I think I know a way to help.” Index said with a smile. “Follow me!”

She led the three to her room of the treehouse, designed like a miniature church with a short aisle leading to a platform, chairs on either side, and a bed in the corner. There were two tables behind the platform with glowing stones, and a pedestal with a hole for a stone to sit.

“I borrowed this from the Church of England.” Index explained. “Other churches are against the idea of element benders, but we believe that God blesses the mortals with the powers of nature. He wants us to embrace and accept all forms of nature.” She picked up a blue stone with a wave symbol. “If I put an Element Stone on that pedestal, it’ll simulate an environment. When people are lost or confused about something, it helps to pray or meditate where they feel most comfortable.”

“In that case, if I could choose an element, I would take firebending.”

“Okay, fire it is.” Index got a Fire Stone and put it in place. An orange beacon rose from the pedestal and the room transformed into a scorching desert.

Morgiana wiggled her toes in the sand, impressed by the realism. “Seriously?” Goombella questioned. “Why couldn’t we just go outside?”

“Do you feel comfortable?” Index asked. “Can you think clearly?”

“Hmmm…” Nagisa sat on the platform and closed his eyes. “I…I don’t know. I’m getting a headache…”

“Heat wouldn’t exactly help if you’re angry. Why don’t we switch to someplace more peaceful?” Index removed the stone and replaced it with a Plant Stone. The desert turned into a forest, where they were sat over a pond as the sun poked through leaves, and bugs provided ambience. The grass was a pleasant relief under their feet.

Nagisa gave a relaxed sigh. “This is better…”

“So…” Index sat in front of him. “Tell me what’s bothering you.”

“…I’m angry at my mother. She doesn’t appreciate me for who I am. She thinks that her way of raising me is the best way. In truth, she wants a mother/daughter experience. That’s why I have to like what she likes. But I can’t argue about it, because she takes care of me. She gives me food and a bed.”

“Do you like yourself for who you are? Forget your anger for a minute and think about what makes you special. Why should your mom appreciate that?”

“…Because I’m a good kid. I like what any boy likes. I do my homework, I have friends, and I’m happy. Why can’t she be happy for me?”

“I wouldn’t be happy if my kid decided to smack me.” Goombella commented. Morgiana kicked her.

“She wanted to change my identity.” Nagisa said. “How can I live with her after that? Even if I want to… even if I still love her…”

“She thinks she’s helping you.” Index understood. “When you deny her ‘help’… she thinks you don’t appreciate her. But why wouldn’t you? You love her for taking care of you, don’t you?”

“I…I do.” Nagisa thought for a moment. “…But in her house, I feel small. I feel like a child’s doll. The problem is that I don’t feel like I have a say. I have no freedom. That’s why I love the Kids Next Door.”

“So, how can you make your mom see things from _your_ point of view?”

“. . .” Nagisa opened his beaming eyes. “That just gave me an _awesome_ idea.”

**Nagisa’s Apartment, an hour later**

Nagisa knocked on the door. His mother cracked it open only slightly, looking with confusion and resent.

Nagisa had an apologetic smile, letting his hair hang down, and presenting a sky-blue apple in both hands. “I’m sorry, Mother. I feel terrible for what I did. I bought this apple at the store. I thought you would like it because… it matches my hair.”

“…” She stared at the apple. It was odd, but also beautiful. It really did go with her son’s pretty hair. “It… does look tasty.”

“Please, eat it. I would like us… to start over. I want to try and see things from your point of view. I want to understand how you look at me and what you expect from me. So… will you please?”

“…” Hiromi smiled and took the apple. “Of course, Nagisa.” She took a bite.

“Seriously.” Goombella said with disbelief as they watched from the stairs. “Skypian Apples are, like, the most obvious trick in the book.”

“The problem is no one on Earth can read Nimbi.” Index figured. ^^;

“AAAaaah!” A puff of smoke consumed Hiromi. Nagisa looked down, seeing the apple dropped next to his 3-inch-tall mother.

He squat down and smiled as he picked her up. “Mother, you look a little under the weather. Does the doll need a bath?”

“NAGISA, what is the meaning of this?! Where in the world did you get-”

“It’s time for a little role-reversal, Mom. Today, we’re doing what I want. Enjoy the ride.”

“Nagisa, you LITTLE-!” She was dropped in the backpack and sealed in as he put it over his back.

“Ooo la la, someone just became man of the house.” Goombella flirted.

“How long did Aisa say the magic apple lasts?” Morgiana asked.

“Maybe not long if she took a little bite. But we should have enough time. Let’s get up to Moonbase.”

**Moonbase; Mission Simulator**

“Nagisa… what on Earth IS all this?!”

“You’re on Kids Next Door Moonbase. Not Earth. And _this_ baby is the Mission Simulator.” They were viewing a huge screen with a large switch before it, and four spherical virtual chambers. “It was designed 20 years ago after the Firstborn Quest. It scans operatives’ memories and allows them to replay their past missions in virtual simulation. Not only can we watch each other in action, we can actually replay anyone’s missions and try for the highest score. It has everything,” Nagisa stepped on the switch and searched through the Stage Select displayed, “from Sector V’s old adventures, Numbuh One’s Galaxia quest, the Firstborn Quest, and Cheren’s adventure in Termina! We can put ourselves in their shoes and fight with their abilities!”

“Nagisa, this is INSANITY!! A tree fortress on the moon—Kids Next Door—and you’re throwing this up on me out of NOWHERE?!”

“This is where I’ve been going every day for the past four months. My friends are the Kids Next Door, they like me for who I am. And that’s not even the best part: the Kids Next Door are heroes. We save the world on a daily basis. Now I’m about to show you.” He used his hand to shuffle through _GALACSIA_ stages. “This is one of my favorite bosses!” He picked Skelbot. “Let’s go in!” He jumped in the spherical chamber with his tiny mother.

“Nagisa, WAAAAIIIII…!” They were consumed by light and dropped in a digital illusion of Skelbot’s boss room.

With Morgiana and Index serving as extra players, Morg got dual swords, Index got mech gloves, and Nagisa had Numbuh One’s old weapons. “LASER!” Nagisa got a Cyan Wisp and used it to bounce around the diamonds and strike Skelbot.

“AAAAAAAHHHH!” Hiromi screamed from the lightspeed sensation.

When they finished the boss fight, they switched to _Firstborn_ and chose the King K. Rool fight.  “So, you come up here with your friends every day and play these insane videogames?!”

“These aren’t just videogames, Mom!” Nagisa dodged K. Rool’s weights. “These things actually happened, to REAL operatives. There was REAL danger that the Kids Next Door had to face, real villains threatening the world, and thanks to the Kids Next Door, their plans failed. You better hang on ’cause this fight gets pretty intense.”

After watching the violent battle between her son and the Kremling King, Nagisa was already searching for another stage. “Then how much REAL danger do you get into on a daily basis?!”

“Honestly, my team hasn’t received any notable missions. But we did sign up in time for the Viridi War.” He chose the Floran Summit stage, and Sector SA found their selves on their S.C.A.M.P.E.R. III, taking part in the war between the GKND and Forces of Nature.

“In this battle, we got to see everyone in action. Look, there’s Sector JP!” Nagisa pointed at a C.O.O.L.-B.U.S. shooting fireworks. “Sector KB.” He pointed at a Swan Ship with a disco light, wherein the light particles were redirected to hit surrounding Nutskis. “And I think those are Lightning Nimbi.” He pointed at a group of zipping bolts that struck Forces.

“Just… how many kids are part of this?” Hiromi asked in total bewilderment. “How many of their parents… even know?”

“These are Kids Next Door from all around the universe. Humans, angels, aliens… We have different customs, but we’re all focused on the same goal: protecting our worlds. Some of our parents know, not all of them, and those same parents probably get worried. But a lot of parents… also used to be operatives. They know how dangerous it is.”

“Then it should be their responsibility! Children shouldn’t be sent to fight battles like this! This is… inhuman!”

“Maybe it is… but it was our choice to be a part of it. I really don’t know how it all started, this whole idea of child soldiers… but it actually works. We’ve won tons of battles. We saved the universe countless times. We’re all very good people.”

 _“OUT OF THE WAY, newbies!”_ They were bumped by a flamingo ship.

“Except Sector DR. But Mom, this is what you wanted for me, right? To be a great person?” He held her closer to his chest. “Well, I am. I have friends that like me, I make time for schoolwork… and when I’m up here fighting by their side, I’m saving the world. I’m sorry I hit you, Mom… I really am thankful to you for taking care of me. I’ll buy you a new computer, too. I just… I was tired of feeling small and powerless. The Kids Next Door makes me feel like I’m more. Why does it matter if I’m a boy or a girl? Can’t you just appreciate me for me?”

“…Nagisa.” Hiromi hugged her son’s chest. “I’m sorry… for how I treated you. You’re no woman… you’re a man.”

“That’s offensive.” Goombella remarked.

“So… how do you feel about all this?” Nagisa asked.

“…A child-run organization is the most ridiculous idea I’ve ever heard. I can’t believe a place like this exists or how many people are part of it. And I couldn’t allow you to risk your life fighting battles like this.”

“I was afraid you would say that…”

“…But it sounds like this place taught you more than I ever could. In these past few minutes… you never sounded more confident and mature. If an organization like this can actually function as what it is… maybe it is where you belong. Not with me.”

“Don’t say that, Mom.” He hugged her gently. “I’ll always be your son. That’s why, with every mission I complete… I have you to thank for bringing me to this world.”

“Even so… I still want you to do your best up here. And I want you to tell me all about it when you get home. No more secrets from me, okay?”

“Of course, Mom. Well… you wanna leave or you wanna finish this war?”

“Hm hm, I don’t have much say in this position, do I?” Hiromi smiled.

“I guess not.” He chuckled. “I love you, Mom.”

“I love you too, Nagisa. So, um… how long am I going to be small?”

“I’ll change you back after we get home. But I was hoping we could have some fun first.”

“Fun?” Hiromi asked curiously.

**At their apartment**

“WAAAAAAHHHH!” Hiromi held tight to her son’s hair as Nagisa ran back and forth around the house. “Nagisa, slow down, don’t hit any- WOOH-HOOOOOHH!”

…

“Ready or not, Mom, here I come!” Nagisa began to crawl around the floor of the apartment, smirking mischievously. “Where did you go, my little pretty?”

 _“Hm hm hm!”_ Hiromi was hiding in the dark of Nagisa’s shoe. “Whoa!” The shoe tilted back, and Nagisa was peeping in with a smirking face. “ _There_ you are!”

…

“Hrrrrrr…!” Hiromi was pinned under her son’s foot, struggling to do a single push-up. “Nagisa, can you make it a little lighter?”

“Come on, Mom, a good parent needs to be stronger than her child!” Nagisa grinned.

“You are so grounded after this!”

…

Nagisa later put one of his doll’s dresses over his mother as he lightly brushed her hair with a doll brush. “Hm hm hm! This is the fantasy I could only have as a child.”

“In the Kids Next Door, we make fantasies real.” Nagisa said.

“You’re so lucky, Nagisa.”

“I’m lucky to have a mother like you.”

“Oh, Nagisa…”

When they were tired of playing, they went to bed. Nagisa slept in his gym clothes while his mother lay under his shirt collar like a blanket. She would never want her son to dress like a girl again. He was a man. Her strong little man. She wished she had seen that before. If Nagisa would keep working hard in the Kids Next Door, she would keep working hard to make him happy. Then at the end of each day, they could happily return home and play together again.

 

**I had to include the Nagisa’s Mother drama in this. I think a lot of people could relate. Hiromi’s also from _Assassination Classroom_. Next time, we’ll do a Goombella chapter.**  



	3. Legends and Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goombella invites Index to her school in Roguetown. Her favorite professor, Marvin Frankly, takes a strong liking to Index.

**This chapter is pretty foreshadow heavy… or at least it would be if the things weren’t already published. :P In this universe, Goombella is voiced by Lacey Chabert. So, imagine you’re hearing her voice when she talks.**

****

**_

Chapter 3: Legends and Truth

_**

****

_What’s up! I’m Goombella. What, you were expecting Nagisa? Hey, I like to talk to myself, too. As an intellectual, I need to hear myself think! So, uh, let’s start from the beginning. I’m a Goomba, like you know. Born in a place called Roguetown, Oregon. Don’t ask why it’s called that, but it consists of denizens from the Mushroom Kingdom who ended up stranded here after the incident 20 years ago. What incident, you ask? You might recognize it._

_“AAAAAAAAHHHH!”_ Arceus roared with anger and rage and destroyed the universe.

_Yeah… that. It caused more damage than you think. People from other dimensions just plopped into this one, even after the universe was fixed. So, Roguetown was built to give us homes. And I was born there. Eleven years old and spunky!_

_So, if you know anything about Mushroom Kingdom, you know Goombas are the bottom rung of the ladder. We’re scary-looking mushrooms with faces. All it takes is one little stomp to take us down. Some Goombas become giant, some grow wings, but even then we barely amount to much. But I wasn’t gonna stay on the bottom rung. That’s why I joined Cadets Next Door Training! The very first Goomba! It… was a pain._

“LEAVE ME ALONE, YOU JERKS!” Goombella ran as cadets tried to pound her with hammers.

“Come on, aren’t these things supposed to go squish on the first hit?!” one of the bullies asked.

“The only people going squish are YOU.” A magenta-haired girl swooped in and kicked the kids down, afterwards stomping them in the stomach.

“Are you okay?” Nagisa asked Goombella afterward.

_Of course I was okay! I trained my head to take heavy blows, and now it’s hard as a rock! (Well, the helmet helps, too.) So yeah, Nagisa and Morgiana helped me, and we became friends, yadda-yadda, but that wasn’t the only reason I joined KND. You see, I’m an aspiring archaeologist, and I believe that all the universe’s mysteries can be solved through fairytales. Learning the history of our town, people dropping here from a gigantic space rift due to an ancient god, inspired me to study truth behind legends and the secrets of our universe! And THAT’S why I’m here!_

“Uh… Why?” Cheren asked.

“Tell me about Majora! Duuuh!” Goombella demanded as a notebook was propped up beside her and she held a pencil in her teeth.

“Goombella, I posted my adventure on the website. Look it up if you wanna know.”

“I already know that stuff, but now I need the firsthand source! Cheren, the very monster you faced – Majora – is the SAME one that appeared in the fantasy novel, _Majora’s Mask_! The same one Nintendo made a game out of! Cheren, this very interview could mean the creation of your _own_ game.”

“I didn’t know a thing about Majora other than he was a monster in a mask. He was a threat, so I stopped him. End of story.”

“LAAAAAME. Cheren, the Kids Next Door has seen fairytale icons in the flesh! The Star Rod, Davy Jones, ARCEUS, the things that were only legends until your parents proved them true! And despite knowing this, you didn’t give a crud about seeing the real live Masked Demon?!”

“Goombella, I don’t have time to talk about children’s stories that _happened_ to be true.”

“Fine, but can you at least come down to my school and tell my classmates that you actually fought him? Come on, you have the Fierce Deity Mask, that’s undeniable PROOF!”

“The answer is ‘no’, Goombella.”

“UGH! Fine, I see how it is. Here’s my number.” She began to write something.

“I DON’T WANT A DATE! First Kodama, now you, when I find out who started that rumor… Who am I kidding, of course it’s Melody.” Cheren sighed. “Goombella, if there’s nothing else to say, can you please go?”

“Fine, Cheren. I won’t hold back your impending rush.” Goombella turned to head out of the office, where no one else was waiting. She stopped and remembered, “Oh yeah! When you fought Viridi, did she mention anyone named Aisling?”

“Go!” Cheren yelled. Goombella blew a raspberry and exited, and Cheren had to close the door himself with his Hookshot. “Sigh… It’s like Sector SA is my wake-up call.” he mumbled.

On her way to Moonbase Cafeteria, Goombella walked by Melody Jackson and said, “It didn’t work.” In the cafeteria, she saw Index trying to take a foot-long chilidog from Artie Gilligan.

“Please, I’ll only take a bite!” Index bobbed up and down like a fish on a hook, but Artie kept the chilidog up as high as he could.

“Forget it! I saw you in here after you graduated, you ate THREE chilidogs in one bite! My world record is in jeopardy now!”

“Like you even had one.” Haylee remarked.

“Index, what are you doing?” Goombella asked.

Index turned around, pointing at Artie and crying, “Children are starving in Africa and this boy won’t even spare one bite of his giant sandwich!”

“By that logic, I should be entitled to it since I’m- OW!” Index bit Artie in the arm, causing the chilidog to slant in her direction. Index bit that chunk off.

“Index, you can eat when we get back to the treehouse.” Goombella said. “Nagisa and Morg were supposed to go shopping.”

“But Nagisa never lets me have anything from the fridge!” Index whined as they began to leave.

“Because you always eat everything. That’s why we had to install the code lock. Tell ya what, if you’re that hungry, we’ll get something in Roguetown.”

“Why are we going to Roguetown?”

“To turn in my report to Professor Frankly early! I hoped to get more information out of Cheren, but I was able to improvise.”

Index saw the notebook sticking out of Goombella’s Shroom Pack. She took it out and read, “‘Cheren has denied any further questions about Majora, yet the look in his eye told me there was more to his story than he led me to believe. Could the Kids Next Door’s leader be hiding something? Perhaps this all-kid organization has more connection to the legends than I thought.’ Who is this for, exactly?”

“My teacher, of course! He’s a visitor to my elementary school, but he’s actually a college professor. Been here since January, looking for bright young minds, you see? And guess who’s caught his eye.” She winked.

“But why would he want a report on the Kids Next Door?”

“I’m not writing about the Kids Next Door. Y’see, there’s one thing me and him have in common: our interest in legends and fairytales. He’ll tell you all about it after I introduce you.”

**Roguetown Elementary**

“They even have an elementary school in this town?” Index asked as they approached a building with two floors and a bell tower.

“Well, the foundation was already here. They just made a few adjustments when they built this town.” Goombella replied.

“Goombella, why do all these people stay in this world, anyway? Isn’t there a way to take them back to Mushroom Kingdom?”

“Well, not all of them _do_ stay. Some have actually moved here. When Mr. York asked GUN to help build this place, it was under the impression that Mushroom denizens could learn more about human culture, and vice-versa. After the Firstborn Quest, everybody understood that there were plenty of worlds besides our own, so they thought maybe it was time to be open to other worlds.”

“That’s really cool! An open world where everyone gets along and we can all be free!” Index twirled as they entered the building.

“It isn’t that perfect, Index.”

“’ey, look! It’s Miss Know-It-All what wears the hat!” They were approached by a red-shelled Koopa with sunglasses, a spike-hatted Goomba, and a Spiny with rings on its nails.

“Oh, Spike, Spikier, and Not-Spiky, how are ya?” Goombella greeted mockingly. “Detention over already?”

“You’re the wise gal, YOU do the math!” the Koopa, Not-Spiky retorted.

“I could, but your brains might melt.”

“Don’t get cocky, Pinky.” Spike the Goomba countered. “You might be the acclaimed ‘college professor’s favorite, but you ain’t goin’ nowhere from here. He’s a nutbrain and so are you.”

“Oh, beg to differ. If we’re so nutty, why have our ‘delusions’ been proven 100% TRUE?”

“I don’t even believe those KN-Whatevers. Say, who’s your friend, anyway?” He noticed Index. “You look like one of them church people. GREAT, they’re bringing a CHURCH to this place, too?”

“Lemme tell you something, Sister.” Spikier the Spiny said to the nun. “No one in Roguetown is worth anything, got it? Good. Now good day.” The bullies walked around them and toward the exit.

“What are those jerks’ problems?” asked Index.

“Forget them. Professor Frankly’s office is this way!” Goombella hopped forward. Soon, they arrived at a door with _Prof. Franky_ written on a dangling label (Index looked around the floor for a missing ‘L’). Goombella kicked the door open. “PROFESSOR FRANKLY!”

“HOPSON MARBLES!” A white-haired Goomba with big swirly glasses jumped in his rotating seat. The office had shelves cluttered with books, papers, and strange items, and the cracked wood floors had papers about as well. “G-Goombella! Gracious, you scared the spores out of me!”

“Sorryyyy! Just wanted to bring my report early! Proof that the tale of Majora’s Mask is true!” Goombella tossed him her notebook.

Frankly caught it in his mouth and propped it on its stand as he skimmed the pages. “Six Giants, magical masks, a parallel dimension… and you sourced this all from the Kids Next Door’s website?!”

“Yep! The same group that fought Arceus and Davy Jones proved another story!”

“Goombella, you are truly outstanding! How lucky am I to have a student in the Kids Next Door, the very group that witnesses these stories come to life! With these grades you’re about to get, you might as well skip a grade or two!”

“I deserve nothing less!” Goombella winked. “Oh, Professor, this is Index, a friend of mine. I thought I’d bring her along.”

Index was looking at some papers she had picked off the floor. Complex equations were written. “You study magic?”

“Those are just some of my notes.” Frankly replied. “I try to understand magic as a science. I already have a keen understanding for how element benders use their abilities, so surely magic must work in a similar manner.”

“Students who do well in Professor Frankly’s history class earn college credit!” Goombella twirled. “By the time I’m through with high school, I’ll be already set for the University of Goom!”

Index set the papers down and noticed a row of books on one shelf. _Majora’s Mask_ was in the collection along with _Father Time_ , _Fairy Sisters_ , and _The Guardians of Earth_. “You sure read a lot of stories.” Index said while flipping through pages of a book titled _Land of the Amazons_.

“My philosophy has always been ‘Legends are pieces of history that have withered over time’, meaning these ancient legends that today are only stories have a deeper meaning. Even though Goombella has confirmed the credibility of these legends via KND’s sources, it’s still not enough to determine any true historical significance. I believe these books hold secret-”

“Did you know about the secret message in this one?”

“Gyebebeh, what now?” Frankly stuttered.

“I finished reading this one.” Index closed _Land of the Amazons_. “And I noticed a lot of capital letters were bold. They didn’t spell anything that made sense, but when I remembered the Caesar Cipher, I realized it was a cryptogram: ‘Under the arena lies the space gem.’”

“A cryptogram hidden throughout the book?! How in the world did you figure that out so quickly?!”

“Index has a Perfect Memory.” Goombella informed. “She can finish a book in minutes by flipping its pages and remembering the position of each and every word.”

“Can you find a secret message in any of the other books?”

Index got _Fairy Sisters_ and flipped through it for a few minutes. “Some of the pictures have a triangle with an eye and some tiny writing inside. The writing is distorted English letters that, when put together…” Index tapped her head, “spell out some sort of poem! It’s a weird poem… maybe I missed something.” She opened the book again.

“Child, you are absolutely brilliant!” Frankly hopped over to her excitedly. “I think the cooks are eating leftovers in the cafeteria, do you care to join me?”

“WOULD I?!” Index beamed at the mention of food.

“Bring a few of those books with you, perhaps we can search for more codes. I think a few detentionaires are still serving a sentence in there, but we can ignore them.”

Goombella watched with a baffled expression as they left, leaving her alone in the office. “Um… W-T-H?”

**Cafeteria, 15 minutes later**

The cafeteria had cracked walls and floors with bugs skittering around. Children serving detention were at further tables doing homework while Frankly and Index occupied one. “In the _Majora’s Mask_ book,” Index explained while chewing on a non-magic Mega Shroom, “when the author writes the time in the setting, I think they’re galactic coordinates, signifying possible areas where a natural portal to Termina will open.”

“Of course! One of those coordinates happens to mark _this_ planet.”

“Uh-huh. And when I think back to the masks on the Mask Guy’s backpack, they look like altered faces of people from these other books.”

“There really IS a connection!”

“And I noticed in some pictures in _Guardians of Earth_ , there are thin lines drawn beside the characters’ feet and other features, as well as some marks here and there, possibly indicating traits to look for when determining their descendants. Of course, Hornfels is a bit more complicated.”

“Um, excuse me? Teach?” Goombella approached them.

“Ah, Goombella.” Frankly greeted. “There are some Dried Shrooms in the lunchroom if you wanted to join us. I’m afraid Index took the last of the heavy snacks, hur hrm. This girl’s stomach is big as her brain, I tell you.”

“Yeah, but Professor, you sort of just left me hangin’ back in the office. Like, the attention just switched to Index.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, Goombella. Did you have more information regarding the Majora report?”

“Uh… N-Not in particular. But Prof., I could’ve figured those things out too, given enough time. But I’m usually preoccupied reading other things.”

“It’s quite alright, Goombella, you’re expanding your brain. You don’t have to burden yourself with helping me discover mysteries about the universe, but this young maiden has a talent! With her help, all the answers I spent years searching for could be found in days, or hours!”

“That’s great and all, but… I just thought that I could be a part of it, too.”

“Well, sure you can, as long as you’re in KND, you can keep reaping answers from them. And you’re still getting an ‘A+’ either way.”

“That’s cool and all, but I was also hoping you could tell me some extra credit opportunities so I could-”

“Attention, students.” The principal of the school walked in. She was a serious-looking Mushroom Toad with purple polka-dots on her cap, rectangle glasses, blonde hair, and a black suit. Her name was Rhy T.. “The exterminator we hired to take care of the bug problem is coming, so we’ll move detention to the library. Oh, Mr. Frankly.” She approached the three. “Who is that human in the white robe?”

“This is Index. She’s a friend of Goombella.”

“Miss Goombella?” Rhy T. looked at the blonde Goomba. “What are you doing here?”

“Just turning in homework early to the prof. here. I got it in my backpack, wanna see?”

“Goombella, perhaps you shouldn’t.” Frankly said nervously.

“It’s all right.” Rhy T. approached and pulled the notebook out of her backpack. “Majora’s Mask? Giants? Termina? This isn’t homework, it looks like fanfiction.”

“It totally is homework! In fact, he said said he’d give us extra points if we did a report on Ancient History. My report is based on the exploits of a special acquaintance and proves the credibility of what we thought was a fairytale.”

“Ugh. Marvin, I made it perfectly clear that you were not supposed to spread your fairytale nonsense onto the students!” Rhy T. yelled at Frankly. “I hired you to teach them real, factual history, nothing more, nothing less.”

“Hired him? Isn’t he a college professor?” Goombella asked. “He said we would get college credit for doing well in his class.”

“You told them what?! Sigh, Goombella, Mr. Frankly was fired from his college for this fairytale nonsense. I don’t know what good grades he gave you for what homework, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to erase those grades. It’s not part of the curriculum and it won’t look good on your permanent record.”

“But it IS real!” Frankly yelled. “Goombella can prove it! It’s the very reason this town-”

“YOU BIG FRAUD!” Goombella leapt and bonked the teacher on the head. “You LIED to me?! I did all that research for nothing, I read all those stories! You were my one chance to get out of this dump and GET AWAY from all these dumbasses!!”

The detentionaires whipped in her direction, offended. Index was taken aback by the outburst, too. Goombella ran out of the building in anger.

“Eh… that was unexpected.” Frankly said. “OW!” Index chomped his head.

“You big jerk!” She gnawed for a few seconds.

“Stop it, I’m not a real mushroom! I have flesh and organs!”

She let go. “Goombella, come back!”

Index found her friend standing on the steps outside. “I got kind of ‘Nagisa’ there, didn’t I?” the Goomba asked.

“That boy sets bad examples.”

“Well, I’m no model student either. Wanna hear a twist? I’m a fraud, too.”

“What do you mean?”

“This is my first year at this school and my grades are totally dump. The reason? I don’t get ANY of this junk. All I like to do is read fantasy stories and watch cartoons. I do _kind of_ good in history, but I had to be tops in at least ONE subject if I wanted to get out of Delinquent Elementary! You wanna know the real deal with Roguetown? The people here are poor as crud in the Mushroom Kingdom, so they gotta make homes here where the rents are cheap. Even stores have cheap items. It’s also convenient because it’s a good way to get rid of their bad students! Students who are so dumb that they board them on a freaking school ship and take them to a low-budget school branch on a WHOLE different freaking planet! But because I was born in this town, I had to come here! If I did good in Frankly’s class, I could ride a school ship to the higher branch, BUT HE WAS TEACHING ME NOTHING!”

“Wow… I had no idea. You always sound so smart when you talk.”

“Bleh, in the five months we’ve known each other, what super-smart thing have I said?”

Index thought back, and her Perfect Memory recalled, “You talk about stories a lot. But Goombella, I don’t see why you’re upset. You and Professor Frankly loved those stories and wanted to prove they were true, and you did!”

“I know, but there was more to it than that. I may not be a real brainiac, but even I know lots of Goombas grow up to be thugs. Heck, even Bowser has more Goomba than Koopa troops. And I didn’t wanna be part of that tradition. University of Goom is a college run by smart Goombas and is adjusted for Goombas, so Mr. Frankly gave me hope that I could be one of the special ones. A Goomba from a low-budget school going to U Goom. But now I look like an idiot. Sigh… Index, you wanna see the rest of town? I just wanna get away.”

“Okay, Goombella.” Index followed her friend.

**Town Square**

“Goombella, if this town was built for Mushroom denizens that were poor, how do they afford a ship to another planet?” Index asked.

“I don’t know, Index. I just do not know.” Goombella said with exhaust. “Well, there’s the guy who made it all possible. Old Man 2030.”

Standing over the center of town was a statue of Nolan York. “In hindsight, this probably cost a lot of the budget. But it was worth it.” Goombella stepped closer. “Now everyone can remember who it was that gave a crud about us stranded creatures. Now Mushroom Kingdom and Earth are connected. People either come here on vacation or to live on low rent, but the second they come into some big money, they pack up and go. I hear lots of Mushroom denizens get big government jobs, pays a hefty amount.”

“I figure it should be GUN’s responsibility to bring these people some money and resources every month or so.” Index said.

“They do. GUN makes sure the Mushroom Kingdom sends provisions, but it’s still nothing fancy.”

“You know, Goombella, who makes your school’s curriculum, anyway? Because I figure we can kidnap them and put them through the simulator, too!”

“This is different, Index. Even if we could prove these fairytales are true, I’m still too stupid for the big schools, anyway. It’s just, all the other subjects are so boring, but history is just so unbelievable and so cool! The stupid thing is all the coolest parts aren’t part of the dumb curriculum!”

“…” Index’s eyes furrowed, “Why aren’t they? Goombella, we know for a fact there’s truth behind these stories. It can’t be legal to fail you for trying to research them. There’s lots of history that people don’t know is 100% true, we just go by what textbooks say. How are these stories any different? The magic, the supernatural creatures, a god scattering people amongst the universes? Doesn’t Mushroom Kingdom run on magical Star Power?”

“Maybe it’s like religion, Index. Like, according to you, God created the universe, but non-Catholic schools ain’t allowed to teach that. And still, you probably say God was the one who broke the universe even though everyone knows it’s Arceus.” Goombella smirked.

“Hey, if people want to interpret God as a pony, I won’t criticize.” Index shrugged. “But even I’m willing to acknowledge that it happened. That’s why the KND’s stories are posted on their website, so we can learn from them in case they happen again.”

“…!” Goombella’s eyes widened. “What if they did happen again?”

“What do you mean?”

“A plan is coming to mind, Index. I just need to find the right amount of help. But it’s gonna be tricky:”

**Moonbase**

“Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaassssssseee. . . . . ?” Goombella had big adorable eyes that were slowly touching Cheren’s feels. He was annoyed.

“…Fine, I’ll do it.” He gave in.

“Pleeeeeeeeaaaaaaaassse. . . . ?” Index was giving the same lovely expression to Columbine Whitby, who was about to eat a large blueberry pancake.

**Roguetown; sunset**

“HEY! What is that thing?!” a Bandit pointed.

The whole of Roguetown was gazing horrified, Rhy T. and Frankly included. The earth shook as a colossal demon was approaching the tiny town. Its shadowed body had horns, a muscular body, and yellow glowing eyes. _“Oooooo… Tremble in fear, mortals! I, MALLADUS, the King of Demons, have returned to seek my revenge! Get in an orderly line so I may devour you one at a-”_

_RIIIIIIINNNNG!_

On closer inspection, the demon was made of miscellaneous pieces of 4x4 junk, its eyes were gazing different directions, and his mouth was propped open stupidly. _“Artie, you turned it up too high!”_

_“Sorry, Harry!”_

“IT’S A MONSTER!” a Toad screamed. “RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!”

“YOU FIRST, MUSHROOM HEAD!” A Koopa pushed him aside and ran.

“EGADS!” Professor Frankly gaped. “Malladus Uno has returned from the dead?!”

“I don’t believe it!” Rhy T. followed. “How do we fight such a monster?!”

 _“FILTHY HUMAAAAANS!”_ A dark reddish-pink spaceship flew in the sky. _“Quake in your gravity-connectors and fall to your leg-stems before the Irken Military might!_

“So says I: Tallest Giz!” The Irken KND leader was on a large body in a big red cloak. In actuality, his cousin Graab was hiding under there. “Who is very, VERY tall! No one taller!”

“YO HO ho ho!” A seaweed-green pirate ship dragged along the ground as Melody Jackson raised a cutlass, wearing an octopus mask. “Cap’n Davy Jones no longer be afraid of land, ye scurvy bilge rats!”

 _“Don’t forget me.”_ Zach Murphy spoke in the shadows. _“The most powerful of them all: COUNT ANTULA!!”_ He was a teeny-tiny ant-spider hidden in the shadow of a grass blade.

“Aaaaaand that’s why your sister didn’t come.” Anthony remarked.

“This is… unprobable!” Frankly was sweating. “Three powerful conquerors from KND’s recent history… just like Goombella told me about!”

“Did she tell you how to stop them?!” Rhy T. shouted.

“D-Don’t yell, I’m trying to remember! Ohhhh, where’s Index when I need her—where’s Goombella—WHERE’S THE KIDS NEXT DOOR?”

“Like, seriously, what’s supposed to be your power?” Anthony asked Zach.

“Easy! I can telepathically speak to termites!” With that, Antula focused his power, and Anthony moved his feet when an army of termites emerged from the ground. “Okay, termites! Do your thing!” And so, they charged, looking for the most delectable snacks around. And boy, did that giant walking scrap body of Malladus fit the bill. The termites all swarmed in and entered the tiny openings.

The fake Malladus stopped walking. It was still for several seconds. _“… … ITCHYYYYYYY!”_ The demon hopped about under the control of the itching kids. Malladus fell on his rear, gripped his legs, and bounced around. His rear smashed on the back end of the tank wheels moving the _Rolling Dutchman_ , causing the rest of the ship to catapult Melody to the sky.

She crashed through the windshield of Giz’s ship as her water bottles exploded upon crash, splashing the Irken. “GAAAAH! WATER BURNS!” He began shaking.

“Hold still, Giz!” Graab screamed, wobbling from the force and falling against the control panel.

Seven pods shot down from the ship and landed before Rhy T. and Frankly. The people to pop out were none other than, _“TEAM GNAA, BITCHEEEES!”_ Fybi dressed as Bowser, Haylee dressed as Eggman, Makava as King K. Rool, George as Rumpel Stiltskin, Dillon inside Brain’s canister, and Cheren Uno as Ganondorf. Floating above was Jar Jar Blinks using his ears, dressed as Lord Gnaa.

But then Fake Malladus bounced over, smashed them under his butt, and kept going. The seven were laying flat. That’s when a Star Rod, a green skull gem, and a plastic heart landed. Nagisa emotionlessly picked up the Star Rod and smashed it on the ground. “Dead.” He stepped on the skull gem. “Dead.” Then he got his rubber knife and stabbed the heart. “Dead.”

“Nagisa, at least TRY to sound like you’re saving the world.” Index criticized as Sector SA appeared.

“Goombella?! What the jackal is going on?!” Frankly exclaimed.

“Fine, you got us.” Goombella sighed. “I got a bunch of friends to set up this elaborate fake invasion.”

“Unbelievable!” Rhy T. yelled furiously. “Throwing Roguetown into a panic all for the sake of some…some fairytales!”

“What are fairytales but stories that were based on true events?!”

“Don’t try to change the subject!”

“No, she has a point.” Nagisa cut in. “Goombella and Index told us about what went on a few hours ago, and I think they’re right. For a minute, you all thought Malladus, Jones, and the Irkens were attacking you.”

 _“And Team Gnaa!”_ Haylee grunted. _“Cough!”_

“I’m just saying, what would you have done if the real ones actually returned? How would you know to fight them? That the Irkens were after the Star Rod or Jones had cut out his heart? Principal, you were around when Arceus scattered the universe as well, you should have a more open mind. When that happened, weren’t you afraid? Were you worried if it could happen again? I sure would be…”

Still lain on the ground, Cheren bit his lip.

Rhy T. glanced elsewhere, unwilling to admit this. “Perhaps… you truly do have a valid reason for reading these fairytales. But even if I wanted to revoke my rulings, I’m not the one in charge of the curriculum.”

“Well, if the people in charge knew about any of this, I’m sure they would agree. I think you should at least give Goombella her grades back. Comparing someone’s real-life experience to a fantasy novel would have to look good somewhere, if not history.”

“Hmm… Very well. However, as far as the school board is concerned, Mr. Frankly’s novels are not befitting for a History class. Perhaps I was wrong to entrust him with the class. I’m starting to think Language Arts is a better fit for him, and nothing helps children embrace the written word better than exciting fantasy novels.” She tipped her glasses to her face. “You start your new post tomorrow. Do pick something exciting, won’t you.” She returned to the school.

“Wow, the solution sounds so obvious when you think about it.” Goombella said sheepishly. “Sorry for bonking you, Professor. I just got a little peeved.”

“I had it coming, I suppose. But you came through for me in the end, eh Goombella? If it’s all the same, I would still like you to drop by more often, so we can discuss these legends. And perhaps bring Index, too!”

“Hm hm, sure Professor. I’d love to.”

“So… an English teacher… I know my way around a semicolon at least; I suppose I will make do. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Frankly returned to the building.

“’kay, later, Professor!” Goombella winked.

As the sun slowly set below the horizon, Zach Antula smiled at the happy moment. “My work here is done. And everything worked out for everyone. Come, Estabon. To the bakery.” He was lifted by a gay carpenter with an open vest, who began to skip across the field swaying his arms and hips. In the distance, Fake Malladus was still hopping on his butt.

 

**I guess I went a little freestyle at the end. :P Frankly’s from _Paper Mario: TTYD_ , as is Roguetown (as it was Rogueport), but I made up Rhy T.. (It sounds like “writing.”) Next time, we’ll read Morgiana’s chapter. I’m kinda looking forward to that one.**


	4. Dance With Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morgiana promises to tell Nagisa her past if he knocks her down three times. What will he learn?

**This chapter mostly focuses on the flashback, so I guess it goes kind of “ _Sector W7_ ” here. It’s not really what I hoped to do, but it is necessary regardless.**

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Chapter 4: Dance With Me

_**

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**Sector SA; Nagisa’s Room**

Goombella and Index had already gone home for the night, but Nagisa and Morgiana were still present. They sat facing each other on Nagisa’s bed, their legs arched up like tents. Nagisa spoke, “Aismi Najisa.”

“Marhabaan, Najisa. ’ana Morgiana.” Morgiana replied.

“’ana ’aeish… fi Tokyo.”

“‘Tukiu.’” Morgiana corrected.

_If you have a friend that’s from a different country, it’s fun to try and learn their language. That’s why on some nights, Morgiana teaches me Arabic. I probably look silly trying to pronounce some words. I think we’ll just have to keep relying on her when we go to the market._

“If you insist.” Morgiana snickered.

“GYAH, I really need to start thinking these things!” Nagisa blushed.

“No, I like it when you think out loud. It keeps your thoughts more organized.”

“Yeah, I guess it does. Okay, let me try to say all that in Arabic. Ahem… Iidha kan ladayk sadeeq… wahadan min ballad mukta…lif… crap, I can’t remember the rest.”

“That wasn’t bad!” Morg smiled. “It looks like you’ve been practicing.”

“Yeah, it’s easy… when you have Google Translate.”

“Nagisa, that’s no way to learn a language.”

“What, it’s practically the same as a textbook! Even Mom let me use it when I took English classes.”

“True, but even textbooks can’t give you a feeling of the culture, the feeling of your tongue twisting until it’s something new.”

“Makes sense. Come to think of it, who taught _you_ English?”

“Um.” Morgiana frowned. “Actually, I learned from Makava. You know, from GKND?”

“She taught you?”

“Well, her species has the ability to learn any person’s language through mouth contact, and can transfer their own known languages onto them.”

“That means you know a bunch of alien languages?”

“No, only English. She didn’t know Arab, but she gave me English because I was human. Apparently, she can control what languages she gives.”

“Oh. …WAIT a second, we didn’t meet the GKND until the Viridi War, but you were already speaking English! …Did you… know her beforehand?”

“Uh… Yeah.” She glanced away.

“Morgiana, now I feel like I know less about you than before. You guys eavesdropped on _my_ personal life, maybe you should tell me about your life.”

“Hm… I guess that’s only fair. Okay, let’s make it a game: I’ll tell you about my past if you can knock me down three times by tomorrow night.”

“Not making it easy for me, huh?” Nagisa chuckled. “Okay, I’ll accept your game. But I should probably head home now.” He climbed off the bed. “Wanna walk with me?”

Morgiana blushed at the question. “To the hangar? Okay.”

On their way through the treehouse, Nagisa asked, “Can I have a little preview, though? What are your people like? The Fanalis, I mean. Do they all have magenta hair?”

“Yes, we do.”

“Did your tribe have any customs or rituals?”

“Well, it’s hard to say. I know a lot of the men were warriors and women liked to dance.”

“You can dance?”

Morgiana froze. “Um… kind of.” She glanced down and brushed the floor with her foot.

“Wow, you’ve gotta show me!” Nagisa said excitedly. “I bet you’re an awesome dancer! It’s gotta be easy with legs like yours.” He lightly kicked her leg.

“I wouldn’t say I’m that great.” Her face reddened as she cracked a smile.

“Why not, Morg, you can run super fast AND jump high! That’s why you’re a great sparring partner. You move so fast and hit so hard, I just have to keep trying. And you’re telling me those same legs can’t dance?”

“You make some valid points.” Morgiana puffed her cheeks. She wasn’t used to taking so many compliments.

Nagisa chuckled. “And yet, when you’re not encouraging me or pushing me to try, you’re silent and still. Seriously, Morg, what’s up with that?”

She reddened again. “Oh… Well, I…”

Nagisa glanced down. Morgiana’s toes were twitching. He smirked and swung a kick to knock her down. Nagisa sat on her and held a rubber knife to her neck. “I know your strength resides in your feet. When you’re nervous, your toes shake, making your feet unbalanced. That’s when I strike.”

She felt herself flush again. She let herself be manipulated by all that sweet talk. She clenched her teeth and threw Nagisa off her. “Not a second time!” She charged and swung furious kicks that he dodged with the beat of his heart, but he was struck in the belly and slid five feet away. Morgiana leapt over to pin his head under her foot.

“Okay, you win, please don’t crush my skull!”

“Hm. If I wanted to, you’d be dead already.” She stepped off and pulled him to his feet. “Alright, Nagisa… I’ll dance for you. But you have to dance with me.”

“Dance with you?” Nagisa asked nervously. “You… want _me_ to dance with you?”

“Getting cold feet?” Morg smirked.

“Y-Yeah!” He sweat a little. “I can’t even keep up with you on the field, how am I supposed to follow your movements, can you show me a book or something?!”

“You had the honor of sparring with a Fanalis for five months. You have an advantage that most humans don’t get.”

“Eh heh… that’s good.” He blushed.

They had a view of the last minutes of sunset from the treehouse hangar. Soon, the desert and the treehouse would be under the dark of night. “Morgiana… how come you never go back home at night? Do you not know the way?”

“I just don’t have a reason to go back. Since joining the Kids Next Door, this has been my home.”

“Why? Did you not like your old home? Didn’t you have friends or family?”

“I…”

Nagisa saw her shyness returning. He smiled and said, “Too many preview questions, am I right? I’ll wait until I knock you down two more times. …Stay cool, Morg.” He lightly kicked her leg, startling her out of her trance. Morg returned the smile and watched as Nagisa boarded his S.C.A.M.P.E.R. and took off. She was left alone in the darkening treehouse.

**The next morning…**

When the sun peered in her window, Morgiana threw off the covers and stretched her arms and legs, flexing her toes. It was during sleep her legs became the most limp, unable to move as she liked. She couldn’t allow that weakness to show after waking. So every morning, she set to work. She propped her legs straight up against a wall, bent arms behind her head, and did sit-ups. She went to the living room, bent as low as she could, and then jumped as high up the central pillar as she could. Lines were drawn to mark her progress, and after a few tries, she marked a new record of 10 feet, 4 inches high. Lastly, she would go outside and run 20 laps around the treehouse so she could get back to top speed.

In the afternoon, her friends would return from school. Nagisa approached the refrigerator and was about to touch the code lock. …Index peeped over his shoulder. He turned, but she vanished. Nagisa faced the keypad again. Index slithered under like a slug. She zipped off before he could notice. He was hesitant to touch the first number… because now Index was peeping from above the fridge. Nagisa moved closer and bent his head over the pad to block her vision.

_To outsmart someone with a Perfect Memory like Index, you need to be clever. It may not be enough to block her sight, you have to-_

“JUST OPEN IT!” Index dropped beside him and readied to chomp him—Morgiana wrapped both arms around her eyes and mouth as Index struggled.

“Now’s your chance!” Morg yelled.

 _“Why you dwing ths Mrg, mm hm hmmmmm!”_ Index muffled cries.

“Thanks, Morg.” Nagisa completed the code and grabbed some food before closing the fridge. He gave a sandwich to Index, a loaf of cherry bread to Morg, a green mushroom to Goombella, and he kept a pizza slice to himself.

“This isn’t fair, you’re just going to change the code, anyway!” Index stomped her feet.

“The less we have to go shopping, the better.” Nagisa stated. “Oh, I almost forgot one other thing.” He went back to the fridge and solved the code once more. He took out a large watermelon and held it in both arms. “Hnnnn!” He kicked the fridge shut and struggled to lift it over. “Morg, this is for YOOOUU!” He tossed the melon to Morgiana, who hastily caught it, and Nagisa tackled her to the floor during her moment of unbalance. The watermelon _POPPED_!

“NAGISA, what the heck are you DOING?!” Index scolded. “You just ruined a perfectly good watermelon!”

“Heh heh heh!” Nagisa flushed. The remains of the melon were squished between him and Morgiana. “Last night, Morg said she would tell us about her past if I knocked her down three times. One more to go!”

“I don’t have time for a story.” Goombella said, reading a math book. “Index said she would help me study. Just because I’m suddenly doing well in English, that doesn’t get me a spot in the higher schools.”

“Come on, don’t you wanna learn about Morgiana’s home and culture? You wanna be an archaeologist, don’t you?”

“Weeeell… I guess it would make a nice report.” Goombella kicked her math book shut and got her notebook. “Okay, Morg, start talking. Where you from, what food’d your people eat, do you have any exotic animals?”

“Nagisa has to knock me down one more time first.” Morgiana pushed him off and stood. “But not in these clothes. Index, can I borrow your gym outfit?”

“I think I’ll switch into mine, too.” Nagisa decided as they went separate ways.

**Index’s Room**

“Honestly, I can’t believe that Nagisa sometimes.” Index said reprovingly as she wiped Morgiana with a towel. Her robe was lain in a laundry basket. “He has no respect for anyone’s health, denying me food and ruining your clothes. What is that guy’s problem?”

“Well, it was my fault for challenging him. I admit it was clever of him to improvise. I wouldn’t let the same trick fool me twice.”

“But I can’t deny I’m curious about your background. What was your home like, Morg?”

“You probably wouldn’t wanna hear it. We had our own religious beliefs.”

“Oh, that doesn’t matter to me.” Index went over to get her gym clothes, which was a light-green top and white skirt. “I agreed to come to this sector to begin with so I can know the culture. So, why not get to know yours!”

“Hey Morg, you left your mask in my…” Nagisa barged in. …Morgiana hadn’t put the new clothes on, yet. She and Nagisa turned red.

“Grrrrrr NAGISA!!” Index charged over with sharpened teeth. “DON’T YOU KNOW TO KNOCK?!”

“IT WAS AN ACCIDENT, I’M SORRY!” He sprinted down the hall.

From above, it looked like a white Pac-Man was chasing a blue ghost.

 _“Denying me food, ruining Morg’s clothes, peeping on girls, you better beg for mercy!”_ Index tackled him in the living room and began gnawing Nagisa’s head.

“I’ll never get to study in peace…” Goombella sighed.

 _“Incoming message from Moonbase.”_ The alarms blared. Nagisa pushed Index off and ran to answer the call. Panini appeared on the screen.

_“Sector SA, the Brotherhood villains Steamroller and I.N.S.T.I.G.A.T.O.R. are attacking Agrabah. It’s not far from where you live, so put a stop to them!”_

By the time the call ended, Morgiana was out, wearing the green top and white skirt. “Let’s go!” she declared readily.

**Agrabah**

Steamroller, a large yellow robot with a human face was tearing down a marketplace using his self-named device, the townspeople fleeing. “YEAH HA HA HA!” laughed the I.N.S.T.I.G.A.T.O.R., a big-headed gray robot with grabber claws and a big human face. “This town’s the foundation of Final Brain 2! All o’ ya are gonna go SMASH!” He swung his extendable claw through two buildings.

Sector SA landed the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. III on a central street, seeing Steamroller coming. “I wonder if his face is actually human?” Nagisa said.

“One way to find out.” Morgiana was about to race up.

“Hold still, Morg! Index, run closer and try to blind him.”

“SAVE THE FOOOOOD!” Index charged over and ignited herself, and Steamroller stopped, seemingly bothered by the light.

Nagisa wore sunglasses and dashed through, jumping up the stopped roller and grabbing around Steamroller’s head. “His face feels normal, but its kinda hard.”

“RRRRR!” Steamroller shook him off, but Morgiana had already dashed up, leapt, and STOMPED him in the face, the cyborg falling back.

“AAAH!” Morgiana was grabbed in the I.N.S.T.I.G.A.T.O.R.’s claw. “Heh heh heh!” he laughed. “I guess it’s common for redheaded girls to have super strength.”

“Then you should know this won’t hold me.” Morgiana swung her leg up and kicked the metal arm, hitting hard enough so the villain would release her.

Steamroller recovered and saw Index “saving” a stand of apples by securing them in her mouth. “Index, look high!” Goombella leapt up Steamroller’s big round hands and headbonked his head, but his helmet withstood as he bashed the Goomba across the street. “Goombella!” Index used Light Feet to run up and catch her friend. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine… Just a little dizzy…?” When Goombella looked at I.N.S.T.I.G.A.T.O.R., who was blocking his face from Morgiana’s kicks, she narrowed her eyes as an imaginary cursor appeared to lock on the cyborg’s back. “Morgiana, kick the upper portion of his back!”

“Huh?” Morg briefly looked at Goombella, and when I.N.S.T.I.G.A.T.O.R. tried to grab, she jumped onto his head, off the other side, and kicked the back. “OOOAAAAG!” I.N.S.T.I.G.A.T.O.R. screamed. Morgiana leapt to stomp more kicks, denting the back as the cyborg fell over.

“Hey, Steamroller!” Nagisa yelled, holding a round mechanical device bigger than his hand. “How would you like an EMP bomb?!”

Steamroller grit his teeth and extracted a gun on the side of his head, shooting at Nagisa’s feet and blowing him back, dropping the bomb in the process. Steamroller combined his hands into the roller and charged to squish him flat. “NAGISA!” Morgiana stormed up and kicked her friend aside, but she couldn’t dodge in time before the steamroller knocked her down and crushed her legs. “AAAAAAHH!”

“MORGIANA!” the girls screamed.

Nagisa was horrified at the sight, and thankful Steamroller didn’t crush any further. His angered eyes whipped toward the bomb, so he sprinted up, grabbed it, and ran at Steamroller. “GET OFF MY FRIEND!” Steamroller gasped, debating whether to back away or resume crushing the girl—it was too late as Nagisa threw the bomb above him, but while Steamroller was focused on it, Nagisa jumped onto the roller and _CLAP_!

The sound of the clap in his face, combined with the bomb bouncing off his head, nearly stopped Steamroller’s mechanical heart. The man fell on his back, defeated. “Morg!” The three friends gathered around her, seeing her legs horribly bruised. “Quick, we gotta take her up to Moonbase!” Nagisa and Index picked her up.

Goombella walked by the EMP bomb and tapped it with her foot. “This is made of plastic!”

“Goombella, hurry!” Nagisa yelled. The Goomba grabbed the bomb in her teeth and followed.

_That trick I just did was the Clap Stunner. I saw it on TV one day and thought I could try it. The trick is to deceive an opponent with the threat of death. Go up to them with a dangerous weapon, throw it up or drop it to divert their attention, and surprise them with a clap to the face to knock them out cold. Of course, I wouldn’t use real weapons in a situation like that. My mom raised a man. Not a killer._

**Moonbase**

Melody was summoned to use Healing Touch on Morgiana’s legs. “Is she going to be okay?” Nagisa asked.

“After healing most of the injuries, she should start walking again in at least 24 hours.” Melody replied. “I’m surprised, though. These legs aren’t nearly as damaged as they should be after getting crushed by a steamroller.”

“Her legs are really amazing. I don’t know what we’d do without them.”

Morgiana frowned at the statement. “YOW!” Nagisa was chomped by Index.

“It’s YOUR fault Morgiana got hurt! Why do you have to be so reckless?!”

“Yeah, I mean, that bomb was plastic!” Goombella reminded. “You couldn’t have guessed your little Clap Attack was going to work against that thing.”

“Sigh… you’re right. Morgiana, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry, Nagisa. I’m fine. Ehh…” She pushed herself up and moved her legs to climb off the hospital bed. “It doesn’t even hurt- ow!”

“Morg!” Nagisa caught her before she fell. “Don’t push yourself, okay? You have to rest.”

“I did all I could, so you can take her back to the treehouse if you want.” Melody explained. “Let’s bandage her legs first.”

**Sector SA; Morgiana’s Room**

The friends laid Morgiana on her bed, her legs and feet wrapped almost completely in bandages. “So, a cursor just appeared and showed you where his weak spot was?” Index repeated Goombella’s explanation.

“Is that weird or something?” she asked.

“I read about that somewhere.” Index scratched her head. “It’s part of an ability called Tattle. It’s super rare, but people who have it can scan a person’s health, strength, and weaknesses. I think getting hit by that robot must have triggered it.”

“Then I could see Morgiana’s health?”

“Try it.”

“Guys, give her some space.” Nagisa told them. “Morg probably wants peace and quiet.”

“I would, too.” Goombella figured. “I need to study, anyway. Want us to get you anything, Morg?”

“No thanks. I’m fine.”

“Okay… but give us a holler if you’re hungry.” Index said. “Check on you later.” She and Goombella turned to leave.

“Morg, I’m… sorry again.” Nagisa said shamefully.

“Don’t be. You’re the leader, so my job is to protect you. After all… you would have barely survived.”

“…” She was right, Nagisa knew. Morgiana was stronger than him and she knew that. She would always be willing to take the stronger blows. “Morg… I can’t express how thankful I am for you. Ever since I joined KND, you’ve had my back.”

“I’m glad to be someone you can rely on. After my legs heal… I promise to do better next time.”

Nagisa turned away, clutching his arm. He felt more ashamed. He felt disgraced as a leader. “Nagisa.” The boy faced her again. “A deal’s a deal. I was knocked down three times.”

“Morg, that can’t possibly count!”

“It does, Nagisa. So I’m going to tell you my story. You can sit down.” Nagisa complied and sat on the bed. Morgiana began. “…The truth is… I can’t dance.”

“Oh, is that all?” Nagisa said with a humored and disbelieved smirk. “You could’ve told me last night so I wouldn’t feel so nervous.”

“Nagisa, you don’t understand. The fact that I can’t dance is the reason I was banished from my home.”

“What?”

“The land that I come from is Fanali. Our tribe worshipped creatures known as the Red Lions. They aren’t like the lions you’re thinking of… they were humongous, dragon-like monsters. It was believed that we Fanalis were mortal descendants of the Red Lions, and one day, we would shed our human skin and join our relatives. Until then, we would walk upon the earth as humans with superior strength. The men honored the Lions by fighting one-another… the women honored them by dancing. But when a Fanalis child turns 11, they have to prove their self. Otherwise…”

**One year ago…**

An 11-year-old Morgiana stepped up onto a platform, smiling politely at her people down below. Music played as Morgiana danced with swift movements, her golden dress flowing with her graceful posture as its ribbons seemed to dance in the air around her. When Morgiana performed a back flip, she stepped on one of the ribbons. “Aaaah!” She lost composure and fell down the stairs to the altar. Her head was throbbing by the time she hit the bottom. When she looked up, the glares of her angry tribesmen gave her fear.

_I disrespected the Lions, so I had to pay._

_“Were they going to kill you?!” asked Nagisa in horror._

_No. It was my faulty legs that disrespected them. So, they were going to cut off my legs. But I was too afraid._

Morgiana was slapped on a table as a tribesman raised a massive axe. Morgiana stared down at her young legs. The axe would come down and sever Morg in half. She would no longer be able to dance or walk, she would be as good as nothing to her tribe. Maybe she would simply die from the loss of blood. One way or the other, it was too terrifying to bear.

Morgiana rolled off the table before the axe came down—she sprinted away from the shrine, sprinted through the village, she put every ounce of faith in her superhuman legs to carry her away and not come back. If the adults were chasing her, she would be caught by now, but as it stood, only her feet were moving. She ran very far from her village, going aimlessly into the darkness, until she collided with a cliff. She had no choice but to climb, firmly pressing her hands and feet to each hold as she ascended. But one rock snapped underneath her foot and she lost balance for the second time today. She fell from ten feet and blacked out when she hit the ground.

…

…

When Morgiana awoke, she had to squint her eyes from the bright light in the blue sky. She was laying on a field of scorching orange sand, which stretched out for miles. She gasped and looked down, seeing her legs were still intact. She wiggled her toes in the sand to determine if it was an illusion. She sighed with relief when she could feel the sand’s warmth.

She had never seen the blue sky or the sun before, but the fact that she was here meant her people no longer wanted her. Their last generous favor was allowing her to keep her legs. She could feel her feet grow more red as she journeyed across the desert. Morgiana was still wandering by the time twilight fell, so she settled on the sand to rest. The night was cold, and the sand didn’t make a good blanket as the wind kept blowing. She tightly hugged her own legs for warmth. Her footprints had long blown away, so she wouldn’t remember which path she came from.

She survived the night and resumed walking the next morning. Every few miles, Morgiana could hear a digging sound behind her, but when she looked back, there was nothing. For uncountable hours, all Morg saw was desert. Eventually, she began to question her own existence. Her tribe didn’t want her, so what civilized being would want anything to do with her? Maybe she was better off dead. She could have been in the afterlife right now, a boring illusion of an endless desert.

Then Morg discovered a boulder. It was an ordinary boulder, bigger than her and sitting in the middle of nowhere. Morgiana looked down at her feet. If she was still a Fanalis and she still had her legs, she would need to remind herself. Morgiana pulled one leg back and kicked the boulder, piercing it.

 _RING!_ Morgiana whipped around, seeing what appeared to be a submarine’s telescope sticking out of the sand. Morg approached the metal thing and bent down to stare into the lens. “AAAH!” A ray of light struck Morg, and she found her feet lifting off the ground. She quickly ascended to the sky, drawn in by a camouflaged flying fortress.

Morgiana was dropped on a metal floor, approached by two huge men made of metal. One was very fat with a black jacket and hat, and the other looked like a walking stove. “This be the real thing, Captain. A Fanalis in the flesh. No human can break a stone like that.”

“Yes they can, Sprocket. How do ye know this girl not be an earthbender?”

“The Spy Scope didn’t pick up any energy readings when she kicked that rock. There was no chi in the works, Captain. And look!” Sprocket grabbed Morg’s leg in his giant claw and held her upside-down. “Her soles are red, like the book said.”

“Any human would turn red when exposed to that much ultraviolet! If ye be so sure of yerself, Sprocket, take her to the Collector and sell her for a hefty price.”

“I will, Cap’n. Lemme just get ’er cuffed up.”

Morgiana remained still and silent through the whole ordeal. She didn’t understand their language, she merely followed as they physically instructed. She was handcuffed and stood politely as the metal man carried her on a ship. Morgiana gazed out the window. There was no ground or blue sky, it was an endless void of stars. The flying ship was approaching some sort of gigantic skull, and there was civilization inside. Sprocket walked Morg through a shabby town where kids ran around barefoot, wearing ragged clothes and smelled as though baths were scarce. Not all the people here were human. Morgiana ultimately realized she was very far from home.

Sprocket guided Morgiana to a more quiet alleyway. They entered a humongous museum, lit only by the dim light from each of its hundreds of glass cages. “Fanalis.” Sprocket pushed her toward the man in charge. “Meet your _new_ father: Taneleer Tivan, the Collector.”

He was a human with big, light-blonde hair, somewhat bushy brows of the same color, and dark brown eyes. A black line was painted under his lips down his chin. He wore a black coat with fur on the edges, a red cloak underneath, and a gold chain of jewels dangling from his sleeves. The area around his eyes was mysteriously dark in contrast to his highlighted face and hair. His expression was cloudy, but Morgiana felt a sense of eternal intrigue burning in his pupils.

The glass cages contained all sorts of alien plants Morgiana didn’t recognize, artifacts from ancient civilizations from around the universe, and even sentient beings that sat hopelessly in their cages with nothing better to do than to watch a new prisonmate make her entrance. One of the prisoners appeared to be a human woman with brown hair and eyes, a rubber collar, and a white dress-robe that ended at her bare legs. Of course, what made her worthy as a piece of the Collection, Morg figured, was her bunny ears, plus the fluffy cottontail. The cage she was in was chi-blocked.

The Collector approached Morg slowly, tapping his black-painted fingers over his mouth. Slowly, Tivan reached and softly stroked Morgiana’s hair. “Pure… shiny magenta hair.” His quiet, French accent possessed a tone of fascination. He lifted a few strands and let them drop back. He knelt down and put both hands around Morgiana’s hip. “Slender build…” He looked down at her bare legs. He lifted the right one and rubbed around it. “Oh, her legs… they are perfect. Her extra muscle… can break the hardest stone. Oh, how far these soles have walked…” He felt Morg’s sole. The Fanalis didn’t understand his language, but she was appalled.

The Collector stood. “A pure, young specimen of a Fanalis… I will take her for 40,000 credits.”

“40,000?!” Sprocket exclaimed in protest. “I heard you make sales worth millions, if not more!”

“You misunderstand. Fanalis are _rare_ , but _hardly_ rare enough for my Colleción.”

“Then how do you explain the Faunus?!” Sprocket pointed at the rabbit-eared woman. “They’re just the offspring of humans and Mobians! Remember that whole incident on Mobius 17 years ago?”

“That girl was a slave who… did not behave herself. To that end, I am in need of a new slave. I am sure… a girl with legs like yours will not disappoint me.” He spoke to Morgiana. She stared at him with a humble, somber expression. “40,000 credits.”

“No deal, bub! Do you think capturing this girl was easy?! You think we just strolled into Fanali, picked through Fanalis and said ‘This is the one’ before going on our merry way? We lost 100 bots to those brutes! There are bounties that are worth more than that! If you’re going to be stingy, the very least I’ll accept is 900,000!”

“Sigh, very well… I will transfer the credits to you.” Collector raised a holographic cellphone. Sprocket raised one of his own as Tivan transferred 900,000 to the robot’s. Sprocket spared a few quick glances to some of the plants before leaving.

Tivan put a collar around Morgiana before unlocking her cuffs. Morgiana rubbed her wrists. “The collar will shock you if you misbehave, Fanalis.” He turned and walked around a table. “Now… before setting you to work, I want to see how well your legs move, how much they can toil before they break from exhaustion. I hear you females are… exquisite dancers. Would you dance with me?” He cocked a brow.

Morgiana stared at him, mimicking the gesture. “What’s wrong?” asked Tivan. “Is English not your tongue? Français? Gluammaug? (Glomourian?) My, this is troublesome… Perhaps body language.” Tivan pulled a boombox out of the table and turned it on. A jazzy song began to play and Tivan jigged to it. “Dance? Can you do this?” he asked her. “Here… let me help you.” Tivan drew a gun and shot at Morg’s feet.

She jumped with a start, and as she dodged further laser bullets, her feet moved with a rhythm that she instinctively kept doing. She shook her hip and flexed her arms, and Tivan provided a smile that said he was pleased. He kept the gun trained on her, but did not shoot. Fear was plastered on her face as she kept dancing, and Tivan danced and sang with the song. “Oo-oo-oo! I wan’na be like you-ou-ou.” He made the gesture of scratching his armpit like a monkey. “I wanna walk like you, talk like you, too-oo-oo.”

Tivan took away Morgiana’s dress and had her fitted with a white robe like the rabbit woman’s. She spent many of her days on her knees, vigorously scrubbing the cages with both hands. “Be careful when you wash around the chi-blocks.” Tivan told her while she was cleaning the rabbit’s cage. “We do not want those to come off.”

The rabbit woman stared at Morgiana after she finished wiping an area. The woman sported Morg a kind smile, intending to mean “It’s going to be all right.”

Tivan had a computer she was required to clean, and she often glimpsed at the screens he had up, depicting rare creatures that he desired: a woman with a black-and-white face – a skinny girl with glaring eyes, pink skin, and purple armor – a similar creature that was big and ape-like – and a triangle with an eye.

There was a back room in the Collector’s Museum consisting of eight colored capsules, with one of them – a yellow capsule – containing what looked like a sleeping baby with a star head. A gas sprayed into the capsule, drawing the baby into slumber whenever Morgiana was required to open the glass and feed it liquid food. “Are you impressed I have such a rare creature in my Colleción?” Tivan asked. “The man who gave me this creature is the same man that brought the Faunus to me… Five billion I gave him. Money is no object to me…”

Morgiana had been under his service for six months, doing little but clean and dancing to whatever music he played. He was awed by her style, but whenever Morg would falter due to exhaustion, she was to spend one hour in her cage, then try again. And she would keep trying, no matter how tired her feet got. Her dance displeased the Red Lions, she would not displease anybody else. She kept dancing to improve herself.

Tivan trusted her enough to polish the artifacts as well. He would open the cages and watch Morgiana as she carefully cleaned them. One of his treasures was a yo-yo with a Yang symbol. “The woman who brought that to me was a Zathurian.” Tivan’s words fell on ears that didn’t understand. “Said she was doing it for a friend. My Colleción is not only vast, it is a perfectly safe haven. People bring treasured and dangerous items here with the request that I protect them. If only I could acquire the other yo-yo.” Tivan took the toy and softly rubbed it. “If I cannot acquire all in a group, the Colleción will always remain incomplete. Sigh…”

The next item Morgiana had to polish was a large left-handed glove with an eye in the palm. “Careful.” Tivan touched her shoulder. “That is Horror’s Hand. Approach it and see your greatest fear come to life.”

Morgiana understood the gesture and approached the hand carefully. The eye flashed a pink light, throwing Morgiana in another world. She was on the altar over Fanali, dancing with every ounce of grace, but she fell on her face, over and over, her feet were not meant for the action. She was on the ground, staring up at all the beautiful tribeswomen dancing with pure perfection. A giant hand that looked like Tivan’s picked her up and threw her away.

Morgiana snapped out of her vision and grabbed her master in a hug. Tivan stared confused as Morgiana cried against his coat. He decided to pat her head.

_From the beginning, I already knew I became a slave. I didn’t know why I was so obedient. And then I realized… all I wanted was to be needed. Whether I was a slave or a teammate… I just wanted to be useful. I assume a year passed since my captivity._

The Collector took Morgiana outside and locked up his museum. He held one end of a laser leash attached to Morgiana’s collar. She obediently stood by him as they boarded a ship and rode to another planet, where they walked a street in a seedy city. Tivan brought her here several times, serving as his body guard. Tivan was famous around these parts as a wealthy crime lord, and most of his acquaintances had ties to the underworld and brought him rare collectibles. Whenever some nasty fellows approached Tivan threateningly, Morgiana would kick them where it hurts. A trio of spike-backed Goron thugs shot a glare to Tivan as they were walking through. Morgiana shot them a look, and the Gorons backed up in fright.

Morgiana would be taken to an underground wrestling ring where fighters were pitted against one-another as the roaring audience made wagers. Morg was up against a Kateenian, muscular but smaller than her feet. An easy match, she figured.

The bell dinged, and Morg stomped the alien, but her foot was kept up by the Kateenian’s surprising strength. She was grabbed and slammed back-and-forth before the Kateenian left her on her back. The Kateenian jumped on Morg’s belly and pinned her down. She looked right and saw Tivan shutting his eyes in disappointment. A burst of passion burned inside Morg, giving her the will to punch the tiny alien until he flew off. When the Kateenian was recovering, Morg swung a mighty kick that sent him out of the ring, stubbing her right middle toe in the process. Regardless, the aliens cheered for her.

“Only the best for my Colleción.” Tivan said in his low voice.

“Fancy a round with me?!” A new opponent climbed into the ring: a short, yellow-skinned alien with black hair, an antenna, and a purple dress.

“Oh… I don’t believe I recognize this breed.” Tivan pulled out his holo-phone and scanned her. “Kateenian _and_ Glomourian traits? A hybrid, perhaps? How exquisitely… _rare_.”

“OI, whose kid is she?!” a blob thug shouted.

Morgiana readied herself as the hybrid approached her. “Where are you from?” the alien asked. Morgiana didn’t respond. “Hel-lo? Can – you – speak?”

“Sawf takhsir.” declared Morg. (“You will lose.”)

“I don’t know that language.” Makava said to herself. “I hate to take the easy route… but if she’s human, she might prefer English.” Makava reached behind her and grabbed a pair of mechanical gauntlets, fixing them on.

“’EY! It’s illegal to use weapons!” a skinny stone man shouted.

“It’s illegal to own slaves!” Makava ran to punch at Morgiana without waiting for the bell, and the Fanalis dodged while countering with kicks. Makava’s mech gloves proved equally strong, and when she blocked one kick, Makava quickly performed a spin-kick to knock Morg down. Morg recovered quickly and swiped both arms, but Makava ducked, grabbed Morg’s shoulders in turn, and pulled her in for a kiss.

“OOOOOH!” The audience gaped in shock and excitement. Morg flushed horrendously and punched Makava off, her arms spread to either side as she lay on her back. Morgiana seized the moment to jump and crush both mech gloves under her feet. She raised her foot to stomp Makava’s stomach- “I GIVE! !” Makava yelped.

Morgiana ceased mid-action, looking confused. “You give? Hu-!” Morg gasped: she had spoken and understood English.

Suddenly, a collar was thrown over Makava’s neck as the Collector climbed in. “Ladies and gentlemen, this child is one of my own. I told her not to compete, but she did not listen. We will be taking our leave now.” Tivan attached laser-leashes to both of them. He said in a whisper, “So, you have a Glomourian’s ability to transfer language… I wonder what other surprises you have in store.”

**The Museum**

Tivan brought them both back to his Collection. He had Makava placed inside a glass cage, where she sat patiently. “It is wonderful that you and I can understand each other now…”

“It really is, Master.” Morgiana responded.

Tivan approached a cage and rubbed the glass. “You know, Fanalis… I have read about your people. You are not the only Fanalis to have gone from your home. There have been others. Few, of course, but the tales do have a source. I know your people worship Red Lions.”

Morgiana recognized the item in the glass: a mask depicting a Red Lion, like that from her home. She wasn’t able to ask about it before. “It is told that your people await the day they can become Red Lions, correct?”

“Yes?…”

“I theorized how such an action could be possible… and decided that it must be similar to a mage’s ability to Animalize. To become an animal. Do Fanalis have magic in their veins?”

“I…I don’t know.”

“…Well… we should find out.” Tivan turned, holding a syringe of dark-pink liquid.

Morgiana gulped. “What’s that?”

“Fanalis… while you, in your current form, do not meet the requirements for my Colleción… securing an actual Red Lion would be magnificent. This potion was meant to be given to mages to force them to use magic. Perhaps using it on a Fanalis will instigate a transformation to Red Lion. You are young, so it may be painful… It may even render you helpless if it fails. But do not worry… I will keep your legs as a memento. I have grown that fond of you. Now… hold still.”

Tivan approached her calmly. Morgiana’s heart raced with anxiety. Until now, she was very obedient… but the idea of losing her legs or even becoming a Red Lion… It seemed her use was ultimately at an end.

 _SHATTER!_ Tivan whipped left to see Makava’s cage has broken. “Let me see your medical degree!” yelled a small white Kateenian with a ray gun. Vweeb jumped out and began blasting all the cages with prisoners, and shot off Morgiana’s collar. Makava leapt forth and kicked the syringe out of Tivan’s hand, then kicked him across the face.

The rabbit woman was freed, and Vweeb shot a weaker laser to burn her rubber collar. The rabbit quickly hopped over to Tivan, kicking him with an electrified foot. “AAAAAAAHHH!” Tivan fell, covered in soot. The rabbit then sprinted to the back room on her bare feet.

“Hey, do you wanna get out of here?!” Makava asked Morg.

“You’re… here to save me?”

“Yeah, lady!” Vweeb yelled from the floor. “We’re from Galactic Kids Next Door and we save kids. You’re a kid, aren’t you?”

“I… guess.”

“Guess faster, you wanna escape or not?” Makava insisted.

Morgiana looked down at her defeated master, then to the puddle of potion in the shattered syringe. The rabbit sprinted past them again holding a wrapped bundle. “…I will.” With that, Morgiana left the museum alongside the alien operatives. She climbed into the back seat of Makava’s Heart Star as they flew away from the skull space station.

“I wish Nebula would let us arrest that guy.” Vweeb said angrily. “Who cares if he’s guarding important stuff?! The GKND can easily protect it!”

“It doesn’t matter. Our mission was to sneak in and rescue any child prisoners.” Makava reminded. “Hopefully breaking those other guys’ cages won’t count against anything. So Fanalis, what planet are you from?”

“Planet?” Morg repeated. “…I don’t know.”

“I would say she’s from Earth, but eh, part of her looks kinda alien.” Vweeb observed.

“Do you know the name of the town you came from?” Makava asked. “I’m sure we can look it up and find it.”

Morgiana hesitated to answer. “I…I don’t have a home.”

“But that guy was talking about ‘your people.’ What did he mean?”

“He misunderstood. I don’t have a home or a people. Just… myself.”

“Hmm… that’s too bad. Should we bring her to our place?”

“Nuh-uh!” Vweeb denied. “We don’t need another giant woman bossing us around! Let’s drop her off at Earth.”

“What’s Earth?” Morg asked.

“It’s a planet that’s primarily human-populated, save for other races.” Makava answered. “We are affiliated with their Kids Next Door. Maybe they would let you join. Then you can live in whatever treehouse they assign you.”

“What is Kids Next Door?”

“MAN, this girl is uneducated!” Vweeb retorted. “Alright, where to begin: it all started a million years ago when a girl named Dimentia wakes up on her black hole planet and discovers-”

“Vweeb, why don’t we tell the shorter version?” suggested Makava. “The Kids Next Door…”

_Ultimately, I agreed to go to Earth and join the Kids Next Door. They had to take me to Moonbase so me and Cheren can sign the necessary paperwork to get me into Arctic Training. I declined the offer of pants or footwear… A Fanalis’s legs were her greatest quality, and I had no intention of hiding them. I had already abandoned two people for the sake of keeping my legs. And looking back, they carried me through all my struggles. They were what kept me strong._

Morgiana was shivering in Arctic Base, her feet exposed to the icy floor. This was a drastic change from heat and desert weather, but the strength her legs had built up allowed her to withstand. “Yep, it’s a boy!” She heard some cadets laughing and looked to see a blue-haired boy with long hair, whose crotch was just punched by a bully. The boy looked upset and angry. He looked like he could use some help.

Morgiana glared at the bully and approached him. “Hey.” She tapped his shoulder. Without hesitating, she swung her foot and kicked the boy’s crotch so hard, his voice grew high-pitched. “OOOOOOOOoooooo _oooooo….!”_

“Now you’re a girl.” Morgiana said coldly. “Isn’t that funny?” She walked around and approached the blue-haired boy. “Are you okay?”

“Y-Yeah.” Nagisa stood up fully. “Thanks.”

_I decided that if I’m not useful to someone, I’m as good as nothing. Whoever that person was, I promised to stand firm on my feet and continue to help them however I could. Whether I was defending them in battle…_

Mr. Fizz sent 10 Soda Patrol officers to attack Nagisa. The leader fearlessly and threateningly approached the frightened boss with his rubber knife, and Morgiana defended her leader from each henchman with lightning-fast kicks. Mr. Fizz was terrified, thinking the boy actually planned to stab him. Nagisa threw the knife up, Fizz gasped and looked up at it—Nagisa CLAPPED his hands and startled Mr. Fizz into fainting.

_…or if I was helping them improve their selves._

In Moonbase Gym, Morgiana threw quick kicks that Nagisa dodged by heartbeats, and when he ran to stab his rubber knife, Morg fell back, kicked up at his stomach, and flung him across the room.

**Present time…**

“At some point, I knew my use wasn’t going to matter anymore, and I would have to find someone else. But without my legs… I’m useless to anyone.”

“No you’re not.” Nagisa stated firmly. Morg looked up and saw the passion in his eyes. “Morgiana, I don’t define you by whether or not you’re ‘useful.’ You’re the strongest person I know. You make me want to follow you and do my best. I’m not going to toss you away because you can’t walk. You’re my best friend… and I’ll always want you around to support me.”

“Nagisa… I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything.” Nagisa stood. “But I have to ask you… am I really a good leader in your eyes? I’m weaker than all three of you. A leader has to be stronger than his team, so they’ll feel safe under his command. But I couldn’t protect you. Why do I deserve to be leader instead of you?”

Morg was silent for a moment. “A leader doesn’t have to be strong, Nagisa… They have to inspire their team and make them want to fight. Protecting you and helping you become stronger has been my reason to fight. And you have more devotion to the Kids Next Door. You’re passionate about protecting the world and being with so many different people. You have what it takes to be a true leader. That’s why we as a team stand by your side. And I’m proud to serve you…”

Nagisa touched her hand and provided a warm smile. “You’re not a servant, Morgiana. You’re my friend and my teacher. That’s why I want to protect you the same way you protect me. And I’ll keep getting stronger so I won’t disappoint you. Understand?”

Morg smiled. “I understand. …” She made a smirk. “Of course, I would be spending this time practicing. That is, if you plan to dance with me.”

“Ghh!” Nagisa blushed. “Yeah… maybe I should. Tomorrow’s a big day!” Nagisa sprinted out quickly. Morgiana giggled and could rest in peace. The pain was slowly fading and she never felt more happy.

**The following night**

“Hi, Mrs. Shiota!” Index said to the image in Nagisa’s phone. “Did Nagisa shrink you and put you in the phone?”

 _“Yes, he did!”_ Hiromi laughed playfully. _“Spank him for me, okay?”_

“Will a bonk be okay?” Goombella winked.

“Ms. Shiota, I’m gonna eat you! Aaaahh…” Index loomed her gaping mouth.

_“Please don’t eat my son’s phone! Don’t forget who paid for it.”_

“Oh, he had enough for a new laptop, he can get a new phone.” Goombella remarked. “Ooo, look! They’re here!” Index turned the phone to face them.

“Why did Fanalis men have to be the loincloth type?” Nagisa asked, wearing nothing by a white cloth skirt and underwear.

“Because we’re uncivilized brutes.” Morgiana wore a yellow top, skirt, and ribbons hanging from her wrists. “Now… Care to dance?” She offered an arm.

“Heh… ’Twould be a pleasure.” Nagisa took it.

They faced each other and locked both hands. “Hit it.” cued Morg. Index played fast-pace Arabian music on the phone.

“AAH!” Nagisa was immediately whirled around in her strong grip, then set back on his feet as Morgiana danced around him, keeping one hand locked. Her feet were precise, firm, and fast, and Nagisa was forced to mimic the moves to keep up with her. They released and did an aerial twirl, kicking one leg to cross with each other, where Morg had to hold back strength so Nagisa wouldn’t fall over. They jumped apart and twirled to the other, locking hands from behind in mid-turn and raising both hands when they faced again.

Morgiana threw her hands up as Nagisa flew over her, then he did the same—but since he was too weak to haul her, Morgiana did the flip herself. They performed a few spins before locking hands, and they stood far apart as they pressed one foot to the other’s, kicked off, and back-flipped while keeping hands locked—naturally, Nagisa fell on his face. Index, Goombella, and Hiromi blushed, embarrassed for him.

Nagisa looked up when Morg held a hand down, smiling. Nagisa grinned. “Let’s try that again.” The dance resumed.

_By now, her tribe would probably burn me on a stake. I was that bad. But this wasn’t Fanali. This was Kids Next Door. We danced however we-_

“WHOA!” Nagisa fell again.

“Pay attention.” Morg stated.

“Sorry!”

 

**Not only were there tons of foreshadows, this chapter kind of sets up my _Destination: Zootopia_ story, which takes place during First Series. Agrabah is from _Aladdin_ , Steamroller and I.N.S.T.I.G.A.T.O.R. are from _Teen Titans_ , and the Collector is from _Guardians of the Galaxy_. Next time, who else, it’s Index’s chapter! Which may not be for a couple days as I wanna finish my _RWBY_ fic. Kids, don’t fight steamrollers!**

**…**

**_Hint: We know another Fanalis._ **


	5. Hunger Strike

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sector SA investigates why Index is able to consume so much food.

**Sorry this chapter took so long, but I was addicted to playing _Batman: Arkham Knight_ on my new PS4. Fantastic game, it wasn’t disappointingly short like other new gen. games. But speaking of disappointingly short, this is the last chapter of _Sector SA_.**

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Chapter 5: Hunger Strike

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**Sector SA**

It was a weekend night, so none of the members had to go home for school. The four kids spent the night here, fast asleep. It felt good not to burden their selves with a flight home, but there was a downside: the Midnight Snacker. A creature that roams the treehouse in search of food, and in its quest bites one of the kids.

Nagisa startled awake when he heard his door open. He hid under his blanket, hearing a pair of bare footsteps walking toward him. He felt it climb on his bed, and the Midnight Snacker pulled the cover down without asking. Index was crouched over him with closed eyes and an open mouth. “It’s okay if I eat Nagisa…” she told herself in her sleep. “He has 2 more extra lives. Aaaaahh…” She moved in for the bite.

_“YOW!!!”_

After Index had awoken by Nagisa’s scream, he rubbed medicine over the sores on his forehead before leading her to the kitchen. “Index, your eating obsession was kinda funny at first, but it’s starting to get old.” Nagisa said, beginning to enter the code for the fridge. “And your biting’s starting to hurt. If you weren’t a nun, I would say you’re a vampire.”

Goombella peeped up and said with a wry smirk, “Maybe she just has a bad… _habit_.” Nagisa stared at her with disbelief. “…I’m also here for a snack. Shroom Shake please.”

Nagisa opened the fridge—he gasped. “ALL THE FOOD’S GONE!”

“Oh yeah… I thought I tasted apple pie mixed with shroomy pickles.” Index smiled sheepishly. “I musta solved the code in my sleep.”

“But you didn’t even see me change it!”

“I listened to the sound of the beeps from the hallway. Beep, bop, boop, beep, that way I could narrow down the digits. Just in case.”

“That food was supposed to last us a week, at least…”

“What a rip off, I’m still hungry.” Index said, rubbing her tummy.

“GRRRRRR!” Nagisa shot her a deathly glare.

“Um… I think Moonbase serves breakfast on weekends.” Goombella said, trying to calm the tension.

**Moonbase, the next morning…**

Sector SA ordered orange juice, Rainbow Munchies, eggs, ham, and waffles in Moonbase Cafeteria. “Mmmmm.” Index sighed with delight while chewing a syrup- and butter-soaked waffle. “This is why God designed syrup and butter as ‘good morning’ food.” She chugged down the glass of OJ. “And why He made juice the color of the sun. Isn’t breakfast wonderful?”

Contrary to her bright spirits, her three friends stared at her in irritation from the opposite side of the table. They haven’t gotten their orders, yet, they let Index eat first. “Index… you have a problem.” Nagisa told her.

“Whaddo you mean?”

“This eating thing; it has to stop!”

“You want me to stop eating?!”

“No! I want you to tone it down! We can’t keep spending money on food every couple days that we don’t get to eat! Heck, I can’t believe you haven’t gotten fat. Or go to the bathroom very often.”

“The weirdest part is you’re a nun, and you never thank God for your meals.” Goombella commented.

“That’s not true! God knows that I’m thankful for my meals.” She folded hands and smiled at the ceiling. “I thank Him for giving me tastebuds and putting so many wonderful foods in the world for me to eat. One day, I hope to taste all the foods.” She faced them again with her normal expression, “Besides, I’m always hungry. I can’t help that.”

“My mom once said the more we eat, the hungrier we become.” Nagisa said. “Because our stomach keeps expanding. ‘Certainly not healthy for a young lady.’”

“And isn’t gluttony one of the Seven Deadly Sins?” asked Goombella. “Does your church know you overeat?”

“Well, they might… My mom is a nun, so I was born in the church. When I was little, all I liked to eat were sweets and bread, and I turned down vegetables. So she did a thing where she forbade me from eating for three days. I was so hungry and I felt shriveled up… After the three days were up, she gave me spinach to eat. I remembered how yucky it tasted when I had some for dinner before… but when I ate it then, it was so delicious. That’s when my mom told me that food wasn’t something to take for granted. I should be thankful for all the food that I can eat and I shouldn’t be picky.”

“As touching as that is, I think you misunderstood a little.” Nagisa replied. “Being picky is one thing, but going overboard is another. You still take it for granted by eating too much.”

“It’s only taken for granted when I’m not thankful for it, which I am! And I still fit in my swimsuit and only eject a little when I use the bathroom, so I think I’m balancing it out okay.”

“That’s the other thing, it defies any laws of physics. You’re like one of those anime protagonists that has a ‘black hole’ stomach and eats cartoonishly large amounts of food.”

**In a faraway universe**

“Achoo!” A boy in a straw hat sneezed. “Hey Natsu, you feel anything weird?”

 _“Yeah, this meat is too squishy.”_ A boy with strawberry hair was chewing sirloin.

“Ruby, pass me seconds!” a white-haired boy requested while swallowing three bananas.

**Back to Moonbase**

“You know, I’m glad you phrased it that way.” a new voice said. Sector SA turned and found Emily Garley, the scientist with crown-shaped blonde hair and light blue eyes behind big square glasses. “There’s no force in this universe that can’t be explained with science.”

“Even that whacky stuff Zach does?” Goombella asked.

“Clearly a logical explanation. (Haven’t found it yet, but still.) I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation, and I feel the strong desire to research this phenomena. Is it true that Index is able to consume large amounts of food without ailment?”

“She swallowed an entire fridge’s worth of food while sleepwalking.” Morgiana answered. “Did you use the bathroom since then, Index?”

“Not really.”

“Interesting.” Emily took notes. “You know, there’s a theory that spacebenders have pocket dimensions for stomachs, ergo they’re able to consume huge amounts.”

“Index is a lightbender, sister, try again.” Goombella remarked.

“Look, why don’t you let me help find the source of this phenomena? Come to the Undersea Lab and we’ll X-ray Index.”

“I don’t wanna be X-rayed!”

“Honestly, I kinda wanna check it out.” Nagisa replied. “See where all that food actually goes. All in favor?”

“AYE!” Goombella jumped, and Morg raised her hand.

“You guys are the worst.” Index folded her arms. “I’d like to see YOU go three days without eating.”

“Did.” said Morgiana.

“I hope you kids aren’t leaving without paying.” The waiter, Numbuh $2.00 Tip, an American boy, approached.

“Oh, of course.” Nagisa smiled. “Here.” Each member set some money on the table. Nagisa left yen, Index left pounds, Morgiana left riyals, and Goombella left coins.

“Sigh… This job pays less than my allowance.” Numbuh $2.00 sighed.

**Undersea Lab**

Index begrudgingly complied with her friends’ request and took part in the experiment. She stood inside a chamber with a viewing window as her body was X-rayed. “If I catch a disease because of this, I’ll haunt you guys from the afterlife.”

“You’re starting to sound less and less priestessy.” Goombella replied.

“The scan is picking up eggs, bacon, juice… pretty much everything Index had for breakfast.” Emily reported.

“But where’s everything else?” Nagisa asked suspiciously.

“When you all are done looking at my insides like a bunch of creeps,” Index stated, “I still want my dessert! I noticed Moonbase had cakes-” A wormhole seemed to open in the X-rayed stomach and sucked the food down.

“HOLY WOW!” “WHAT THE HECK?!” Emily and Nagisa exclaimed.

Index’s stomach growled. “I’m hungry again.”

Emily rewound the recording on the small computer. “I…I don’t believe it. It seems to be some type of… black hole!”

“Index’s stomach… is literally a black hole?” Nagisa questioned, struggling to process this.

“Maybe she IS a spacebender!” Goombella beamed.

“Impossible!” argued Index. “The priests at my church can sense Element Chi inside people, they would’ve known if I was a spacebender.”

“What an astounding phenomena.” Emily said. “We have to research this wormhole! According to the scans, none of Index’s organs are damaged by it. Maybe it only swallows things that she eats.”

“You mean this wormhole’s been stealing all my food this whole time?! GET IT OUT OF ME!” Index flailed her arms.

“Emily, what do we do about this?” Nagisa asked.

“Well, our first priority is determining where the wormhole leads. Who here is up for a Fantastic Voyage?”

“NOT IT!” Goombella yelped.

“You want us to go inside Index?!” Nagisa exclaimed in disgust. “Why don’t YOU do it?”

“Because I need to program the shrink/grow settings and determine how much time the sub will need to stay small. And what if I get trapped in an alternate universe and eaten by lizard people?! No one will be able to report the data! That’s why it’s safer to send guinea pigs. Besides, she’s _your_ teammate.”

“NAGISA!” Index’s skeleton banged on the X-ray window. “You had better get inside my belly and stop this wormhole or I’ll send you in by pieces!”

“Siiiigh… I guess I have no choice.”

“I’ll come with you.” Morgiana offered.

“Heh. Thanks, Morg.”

“Remember, you two, this isn’t a date.” said Goombella. “But if it were, it’d be the totally weirdest date ever.”

“Perfect!” cheered Emily. “Let’s lay Index on a table and get you guys in the ship.”

They were led to a bigger room with a large, gray boxed-shaped ship with headlights. “This is an upgraded model of the Kids Next Door’s classic I.T.S.I.B.I.T.S.Y..” Emily explained. “This version hovers and can submerge, too. Every treehouse has one in case operatives ingest hazardous materials. In the olden days, we only used them for vegetables, huhu! But lately, we’ve been using them to kill germs and… kids or pets who eat small toys on accident. I’ll stay in touch with you and instruct you on what to do. For now, try to determine where the wormhole leads. Once you do, you can make your way out of Index’s body.”

“Okay. Ready, Morg?” asked Nagisa.

“I am.”

“Good luck!” Goombella winked. _So glad I ain’t goin’._

After the two were settled in the ship, Emily set the shrink ray for 30 minutes and zapped it down to half an inch tall. She lightly picked the ship up and put it in a glass of water. “Here, Index.” Emily gave it to the nun. “Take a drink and lie back down.”

Index looked at the tiny ship on the surface and took a small drink. She swallowed and laid flat on her back. “Ahhh… I ate my friends. It was only a matter of time.”

The submarine traveled down to the stomach in seconds as they switched on the headlights. “Well, at least I have a good reference for my biology report.” Nagisa joked to Morg, who didn’t react.

“Nagisa, there’s the wormhole!” she pointed.

The stomach shone blue from the wormhole’s light. It was massive from their size, burning wonder into their minds. _“Alright, you found it.”_ Emily responded. _“One of you needs to put on a suit and fly in while the other holds the rope to pull you back. Use the handheld scanner to examine the area within.”_

“I guess I’ll go.” Nagisa volunteered. “Wish me luck, Morg.”

“Be careful.”

Nagisa donned a gray scuba suit with a helmet and jetpacks. Morgiana held onto the attached rope and watched her friend float to the vortex. The light grew brighter in Nagisa’s eyes, and he braced himself for the new world he was about to enter.

When he passed, he collided with a mountain of chewed mush. “Ew, gross!” He looked around, repulsed at the giant globs of dissolving food. “This is so disgusting! Where am I?” He activated the handheld scanner. The stomach was projected on the small screen, and the rest of the body followed suit. The screen depicted a chubby girl laying down. “I’m still inside Index? That can’t be right. Unless… Morg, pull me back.” He tugged the rope.

Morgiana felt this and pulled her end. However, the portal seemed to push Nagisa away from his end, so Morgiana was forced to pull harder. “Hnnnnnnn…!” To her relief, Nagisa came out of the portal, and she quickly pulled him back to the sub.

 _“Is everything okay down there?”_ Emily asked.

“We’re fine.” Nagisa answered, taking his helmet off. “I just came out of the portal. According to the scan, it connects to another Index’s stomach.

“Another Index?” Morgiana questioned. “How is that possible?”

“I still don’t know what’s causing the wormhole, but I think I know who’s behind it: Index’s Negative.”

**Moments later, after resizing**

“You think the wormhole’s connected to my Negative?” Index asked.

“What other explanation can there be?” Nagisa replied. “I think we should pay a visit to the Negaverse. We can ask Cheren to get in contact with Nerehc, and he could tell us if he knows Index’s Negative.”

“Sweet, we can get that cake while we’re on Moonbase!”

“You know it’s just going to go through you.” Goombella reminded.

“I know, but I can still savor the frosting.” Index said dreamily.

“Look at this picture, though.” Morgiana pointed at the handheld scanner. “This person looks like Index, but… she’s bulkier.”

“You would be too if you ate as much as she did.” said Goombella.

**KND Moonbase**

Sector SA explained the situation to Cheren, who found the idea of a wormhole in Index’s stomach to be both humorous and downright weird. Cheren agreed to take them to Nerehc using the mirror in his office. Since the mirror had become a portal, this signified Nerehc was in his office right now. He invited Sector SA through the portal, entering Nerehc’s office in the DNK Moonbase.

Nerehc was laying on a pile of unfilled paperwork when he looked up and saw them. “We need to design something for you to knock on when you enter a portal.”

“Sorry to interrupt your super busy schedule, Nerehc.” Cheren remarked. “This is Sector SA. They’re here because of a stomach problem.”

“I ain’t a doctor.”

“Listen, we need you to take us to Index’s Negative.” Nagisa gestured at the latter. “Do you have an operative like her?”

Nerehc cocked a brow. “Boy, don’t we. Yeah, I recognize her—by far the _laziest_ operative we have. She’s not even emo, she’s just a slob. She works for Sector AS – which you probably know as Sector -SA. I would guess it’s in the same place as your sector, just reversed, but if you want, I could take you.”

“That’d be nice.” Nagisa chuckled, thinking he might get lost in this mirror world. “We’ll explain on the way.”

**Sector -SA**

Contrary to the scorching desert in the Posiverse, Nega-Sector SA’s treehouse was located in a frosty snowfield, in what they believed to be the same general area relative to the other universe. Nerehc landed the R.E.P.M.A.C.S. in the hangar and began to trek the hallway. “Shouldn’t you have called and told them you were coming?” Morgiana asked. “It feels rude to come unannounced.”

“Did you already forget what universe you’re in?” Nerehc asked. “They won’t care, anyway. Nothing motivates this sector. No inspiration whatsoever. Not to mention they’re just weird.” They passed by Allebmoog, a blue Abmoog with no feet and very long arms that she used to walk.

“Well, there’s another Goomba to be jealous of.” Goombella commented.

“Anyway, I think this is the culprit you’re looking for.” Nerehc indicated a couch facing a TV that displayed a first-person shooting game. They walked around to see the fat slob on the couch: almost every part of Xedni’s body was pudgy, her belly sticking out of her white sleeveless top, and her black skirt was a bit too tight.

Nagisa checked the scanner’s screen. The image on it matched Xedni’s posture exactly, from the still position of her arms holding the game controller and her dull green eyes. Xedni glanced up at her guests. “Oh, hey Supreme Leader. Do you have pizza?”

“YOU!!” Index grabbed her opposite by the neck furiously. “YOU’RE the one who’s been stealing my FOOD!”

“Uh… Are you my Positive?” Xedni asked lazily. “BUUUURP!”

“Uck!” Index waved by her nose. “Your breath smells like waffles! …!” She wept: “Those are _my_ waffles. . . .” She shook Xedni crazily, “GIVE ME BACK MY WAFFLES!”

“Index, calm down!” Cheren pulled her off. “Xedni, we’re given to understand there is a wormhole linking your stomach to Index. Do you know anything about that?”

“No way, man. And my name’s not Xedni, it’s-”

“NOT IMPORTANT!” Index cut. “Fine, if you don’t believe me, I guess you won’t mind if I eat THIS!” She raised a bitten blue Skypian Apple, the one Nagisa’s mother bit days ago.

“Ironically, the only item in the fridge she didn’t eat.” Goombella said.

“Ha-omp!” Index ate the whole apple in one bite. She smirked at Xedni, and the others were surprised at the fact Index wasn’t shrinking.

A puff of smoke consumed Xedni, dropping her controller as she became as small as a hand-size ball. “I KNEW IT!” Index grabbed the tiny Negative and squeezed her. “Do I need to SQUEEZE the truth out of you?!”

“Fine, you got me!” Xedni conceded. “I like to eat, but it’s always a chore to go to the fridge and get somethin’. I got Sipa to take me to your room in the Posiverse and make some sorta body-link spell while you were asleep. All I gotta do is wait for you to eat, then I get full.”

“Was that the same day all my church stuff was magically taped to the ceiling?!”

“I dunno… I forget what day that was. Who are you again?”

“Xedni, don’t you realize what you’ve been doing?” Nagisa followed. “You’re driving Index to near starvation, and look what’s happened to you because of her eating habit!”

“Bro, I don’t care. I don’t do much around here, anyway. I just get my girlfriend to do stuff.”

“Who’s your girlfriend?”

“I am!”

A lovely girl in a bright pink dress danced in, her sky-blue hair flowing. “Hello there! I’m Asigan!” she greeted them, her blue eyes sparkling.

Nagisa choked on his breath. This girl was… “No… you can’t be…”

“Oh! You look just like me!” Asigan noticed. “But… you dress like a boy.”

“But… I am a boy!” Nagisa’s brow twitched.

“Still? I used to be a boy, until I got a sex change. My mom didn’t approve of it, though. Boy, was she mad!”

Nagisa felt every fiber of his being slip away. He was a shell of his former self. “Morgiana?”

“Huh?” Morg looked down when Nagisa laid his head by her feet.

“Please crush my skull.”

“Get a grip on yourself, Nagisa!” Index yelled, still clutching Xedni. “Listen, Xedni, I don’t know what they teach you in this universe, but in my world, gluttony is a sin, and you’re a big sinner!”

 _“NOW she brings it up.”_ her friends chorused.

“You make me wanna puke up every meal I had. Knowing ALL my food was going to you, I’ve never been more disgusted. It makes me not wanna eat.”

“Uh… you have to eat sometime. Or you’ll starve.”

“I don’t think so. I am officially going on a hunger strike and SO are you.” She whipped around, raised Xedni high, and asked her friends, “You with me, guys?! WHO’S ready to go on a hunger strike?!”

 _“NO WAY! We’re not the ones who need to learn a lesson!”_ four of the kids said at once, while Morg shook her head in disagreement.

“And anyway—um, Xedni,” Nerehc followed, “I think an exercise routine would do you wonders. DNK is changing for the better, so you need to catch up.”

“Got that, Xedni?” Index glared. “You’re not getting one bite until I decide you earned it.”

“Okay, whatever… Wanna play a game with me?”

“The only game we’re playing is the PAIN GAME!”

**Moonbase Gym**

“Come on, Xedni, don’t you know how to raise a fist?!” Index shouted while throwing punches at her (normal size) opposite. The nun donned her green top, white skirt, and green gym shoes, and both were wearing boxing gloves. All Xedni could manage were lazy arm swings, but Index jumped around and punched her from all sides. “A FIST, Xedni, it’s when you bend your fingers into a ball!”

“I know what it is, I’ve seen it in my game. …I don’t remember what button to push, though.”

“Maybe it’s ‘P’ button, FOR PUNCH!” Index punched her in the fat head. “Does that jog your memory?!”

“I’ve never seen Index so pumped up about anything.” Nagisa said.

“The safety of her food is on the line.” Goombella winked. “She’s doing this for herself, too.”

“Yeah, but forbidding herself from eating? How long do you think she’ll last?”

“Her record is three days.” Morgiana said. “She’ll have to be hungry by then.”

On the second day, Index took Xedni to the soccer field near her church. Index ran five laps around the field while Xedni made it halfway. “If those legs had as much muscle as fat, you would be faster than me.”

“I’m tired…” Xedni moaned, her legs wobbling like jelly. “I just thought about jelly… Can we eat?”

“NO EATING. You’ve been pigging yourself out for months without chewing your own food. The only way to show you how precious food is is to make you go without it!”

Xedni was forced to stay with Index during their days of exercise, and was ordered to do push-ups for the first half hour while Index slept. Her friends and family helped keep Xedni away from anything edible, and Index restrained herself as well, no matter how much her stomach grumbled during the day and night.

Two more days passed; Xedni noticed Index was slacking in effort, likely starved from lack of food. When they were racing around the soccer field, seeing this gave Xedni the motivation to keep running. She thought passing Index would earn her something to eat. Index stopped to catch her breath, and seeing Xedni run by put a smile on her face. When they returned to boxing on the Moonbase, both girls fought with weak, lazy fists; they had no gas to burn off, little water to sweat, and the fact they had any energy at all was amazing.

At Sector SA’s treehouse, the two attempted jumping up the central pillar like Morgiana. They fell extremely short of the latter’s record—they were so tired, they barely got their toes off the floor. They collapsed on their backs, deader than sticks in a desert. They were so hungry, they were shriveled. Seven days without food and little water.

“Ulp… What’s your name again?” Xedni asked.

“Index…” she replied tiredly.

“Index… Sorry for taking your food. I guess I thought… you would be okay with it. Sharing the same stomach. I think I was gonna tell you, but I… forgot.”

“Well… hopefully you learned something.” Index sat up and faced her. “I think we both love food, Xedni… but you don’t appreciate it enough to even pick some up and eat it yourself. Any person that’s able to eat should be thankful for every meal. You shouldn’t deny food from others… It’s a gift that everyone deserves.”

“Yeah… If I had to exercise just a little bit… that’d be better than doing all this. I guess you want to get rid of this wormhole?”

“You said these were created from a magic spell, right? If I remember correctly, the Connecting-Stomachs Spell was created for people who couldn’t eat on their own. I can probably dispel it myself.” Index crawled to Xedni and folded hands in prayer. _“God, thou art the Creator of Space. Please, command the gates that bind us to close.”_ She put one hand over her stomach and another over Xedni’s. Her hands glowed white and, while they couldn’t see, the wormholes vanished.

Xedni sat up, wondering what just happened. “Anyway… it was nice training with you, Xedni.” Index smiled. “Why don’t you go home and grab a bite? Make sure to really savor the taste.”

**Dinner that night**

“Ahhhh…” Index just swallowed two steaks, two apples, and cake for dessert. For the first time in months, she was lain on the couch, rubbing her tummy. “I’m stuffed. I don’t think I’ll ever be hungry again.”

“Thank goodness.” Nagisa sighed in relief. “Hey Index, what was that thing you did with Xedni, anyway? The praying to God thing?”

“Oh, it’s something the church taught me. I can speak to God and ask Him to remove supernatural spells. In fact, they said only I can do it because my lightbending gives me a closer connection with God. I thought it was weird that the priests never sensed the vortex in my body… but I predict that Sipa set the wormhole to vanish whenever I was near church or talked about church. When I asked Xedni about her, she said Sipa practiced dark magic.”

“That’s a pretty cool power!” said Goombella. “What else does your church teach you?”

“Nothing else but the basics.”

“I see…” Nagisa said with suspicion. “Hey, Index… why wouldn’t you let Xedni say her real name?”

“Because Negative names are confusing of course!” Index grinned. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m beat. Time to take a bath, then off to bed!” She hopped up and skipped to the hallway.

Morgiana noticed the inquiring stare on her friend’s face. “What’s wrong, Nagisa?”

“Um… nothing. You wanna go to bed too, Morg?”

Morgiana blushed. “Go to… bed? Oh, you mean separately. Sure.”

“Will you two just kiss?! You’re so dense!” Goombella shouted.

“K-Kiss?! What’re you talking about?!” Nagisa flushed.

“Agreed. Kissing after a misunderstanding is very unconventional.” Morg said.

“Right, what she said! …I think.”

“Oh, whatever.” Goombella rolled her eyes. “I’m going to bed, too. G’d night!” The four friends turned off the lights and headed for their rooms. (Play “Ending 2” from _Fairy Tail_.)

_As weird as that day was, finding a wormhole in Index’s stomach was just a casual day in the Kids Next Door. We didn’t ask Index about her name since then, and we kept getting normal missions, each slightly harder, but we were slowly building up our reputation. Goombella, Morg, and I may have had our reasons for joining KND, but Index’s backstory was still a mystery. I guess it didn’t matter, given all the excitement the other sectors had._

_…Eventually, we would learn why Index is called the “Walking Library.”_

**_Sector SA_ : Cast:**

**Lindsay Seidel as _Nagisa Shiota_ and _Asigan Atoihs_**

**Cristina Valenzuela as _Morgiana_**

**Monica Rial as _Index_ and _Xedni_**

**Lacey Chabert as _Goombella_**

**Richard Steven Horvitz as _Marvin Frankly_ and _Giz_**

**Sharon Mann as _Cheren Uno_ and _Nerehc Onu_**

**Caitlin Glass as _Hiromi Shiota_**

**Tara Strong as _Makava_ , _Melody Jackson_ , and _Anthony McKenzie_**

**Rickey Collins as _Vweeb_**

**Jennifer Hale as _Panini Drilovsky_ , _Emily Garley_ , and _Fybi Fulbright_**

**Tom Kenny as _Zach Murphy_**

**Benicio del Toro as _Taneleer Tivan_**

**Published by Archive of Our Own**

**Presented by Gamewizard2008**

**All crossovers and OCs belong to their respective owners.**

**_Sector SA_ : _END_**

**I hate to end this story without a final battle, but since I didn’t have one planned, I didn’t think I could make something… epic, you know? Like, no relevant ideas that could progress the story, other than what I established. Like with Sector W7 and JP’s final battles. And the only purpose this chapter served was to set up _Down in the Negaverse_ , as far as the Seven Lights Saga. No matter, this isn’t the last time we’ll see Sector SA.**

**What’d you think of them, anyway? I think I portrayed Sector JP better, and I don’t think I developed SA as much as I could have. In fact, it sounds like the only chapter people really liked was Chapter 2, which I can agree with. The only reason I could write that chapter well was because I can connect with Nagisa a lot. (Also because that chapter was based off his source information, the other characters had original ideas.) When we return, we will continue _Legend of the Seven Lights_. (Unless you’re reading the stories in order, in that case _Operation: FAIL_ is next.) Alright, secret cutscene time!**

**…**

Taneleer Tivan stared at the empty yellow capsule. One of eight, once contained the greatest prize in his collection, now gone. The Collector turned and entered the main room of his museum. He approached the cage that contained Horror’s Hand. He put his hand to it. “At least… I still have _one_.”

The eye in the hand’s palm brimmed pink. Tivan stared into the ocean of nightmares longing to be free.

**_Sector SA will return in_ Index and the World Rings _._**


End file.
